


She won't die

by hellosalem



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: Bullying, Gen, Half-Vampires, Mild Gore, Minor Character Death, Murder, Mystery, Near Death, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:28:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 40,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21824416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellosalem/pseuds/hellosalem
Summary: Park Sooyoung, the popular kid with a dilemma of her own, and a dead girl trailing behind her.
Comments: 17
Kudos: 40





	1. She won't die

Park Sooyoung was a girl with a dilemma and a dead girl trailing behind her. You may ask yourself, what made Sooyoung so different from others? Well, the answer was simple. Sooyoung had murdered her former best friend and left her for dead. Of course, before introducing any more information within this investigation, let's see what kind of person Sooyoung was. 

Park Sooyoung, a popular girl with no worries that made her frown or a single crisis, caused her to evaluate herself. Head of the track and field, she was at the top of everything the school had to offer. A smile that no one could deny, a pure heart, friends she knew had her back, and not to mention the richest family in the city. The Park family was known to be prestigious to each generation, and hers was no exception. Sooyoung had everyone and everything, except one person. In an instant, she knew she could have anyone with her, but one person seemed to be disinterested in her. That girl just so happened to be Son Seungwan, also known as Wendy, the smart student who entered the school with a scholarship. Wendy was a friendly person who got along with all the students and faculty, except she never approached Sooyoung. Not once in the past three years had the girl tried to speak with her. What was wrong with Sooyoung that made her so unapproachable?

The dilemma in her head seemed silly. She knew it was dumb to envy the attention others had from Wendy. So after nearly three years of waiting, that opportunity was finally brought to her by some miracle from the sky. 

"Park Sooyoung and Son Seungwan," Her teacher called out, catching the immediate attention of Sooyoung. Her eyes widened as her heart skipped a beat. This was her chance to befriend Seungwan finally. Perhaps to prove to her that she was, in fact, one of the best people to meet. Sooyoung leaned against her seat as she peeked over to watch Seungwan gather her items. The expression on Seungwan wasn't what she quite expected. There wasn't a smile nor anything else that implied she was against or with the idea. Who exactly was Sooyoung to Seungwan? 

"Park Sooyoung?" Seungwan called out, looking right into her brown, beady eyes. There was something about this stare that felt so odd to her. Sooyoung was unknown to Seungwan as if she had never really heard of her over the past three years. 

"Yes, that's me. Y-You can call me Joy." She finally spoke, remaining her eyes on Seungwan, who finally seemed to smile shyly. 

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Son Seun-" 

"Seungwan. I'm aware of who you are." Sooyoung interrupted with her gaze on the girl. It wasn't anything intimidating to say, more like a curious stare. 

"Well, nice to meet you. Do you want to schedule a time to meet up for the project?" Seungwan asked as she pulled the seat next to the girl. Sooyoung, still in a dream-like state, smiled and nodded her head. Seungwan continuously organized when they'd meet and everything they'd need for their project. Perhaps the conversation was a lot faster than Sooyoung remembered. 

"So we'll meet at your place?" Seungwan asked, catching the girl's attention. 

"Yeah, my place should be fine." She shyly smiled, "Would you like to exchange numbers to texting you the address?" Sooyoung pushed her phone towards Seungwan to type in her information, but all she seemed to do was stare at her brand new mobile. 

"Sorry, I currently don't have a phone on me." She gently pushed the girl's hand away as she began to pull out her agenda for Sooyoung to write in. 

"Oh, of course." Sooyoung grabbed the girl's pen as she began to write, stealing glances to catch Seungwan staring at her too. 

Wendy smiled as she looked over at the girl who looked equally amazed by her, "See you around, Sooyoung." 

Sooyoung waved goodbye, watching Wendy disappear behind the door. Perhaps it was too early to feel anything, but that never stopped the butterflies in her stomach to continuously flutter around whilst her heart practically pleaded to jump out of her chest. Placing her hands over her mouth, she quietly reminded herself to remain calm. After all, she as a reputation to keep while she remained in school. Joy was somewhat of an intimidating girl in school; of course, she was a girl with an immense honorable reputation among her other friends, which consisted of Kang Seulgi, Kim Yeri, and lastly Bae Joohyun. Each girl had their specialty within their families that made their wealth unimaginable. 

"Sooyoung? You seem too happy today," Spoke Seulgi waving her hand in front of the girl. Sooyoung snapped back into reality as she looked over at Seulgi's innocent stare. 

"I hit the jackpot, Seul!" She grabbed Seulgi by the shoulders as they made their way over to their lunchroom, "You know what's even better, she's coming over to my house!" 

Seulgi, who remained unbelievably confused, asked, "Who's coming over?" 

"Son Seungwan, that's who. This is my chance to prove I am someone worthy of being acknowledged." Joy happily smiled as she had arrived at her destination. Upon opening the door, they walked over to the remaining group of friends who sat at their table, gossiping about any news they insisted on sharing. 

"Well, well, it was about time we saw you with such a wide smile. Who asked you out?" Yeri asked as Joy scooted over to the girl with a toothy grin. 

"It's not like that, but I did finally speak to Son Seungwan." 

Joohyun and Yeri looked over at the girl with their brows raised, "Who?" They asked in unison. 

"The full scholarship student," Seulgi answered for the daydreaming girl. 

"I don't think I ever really paid attention to her. Well, as the french say, don't know, and I don't care." Yeri sassed, causing the older girl to burst out laughing. 

"I don't expect girls such as yourself to understand the excitement. Not all of us can have a perfect life," Sooyoung replied. 

"What makes this girl so special anyway?" Irene asked, interrupting the two as Joy's eyes lit up with excitement, "Well, I never thought I'd ever say this, but she has no clue who I am. And as you all know, there's not a single soul who doesn't know who I am. I mean, come on, I'm a pretty great person." 

"Depends on the days," Seulgi added jokingly. 

"Monday through Thursday is debatable, but Fridays to Sunday, I must agree," Yeri smirked mischievously as she and Seulgi giggled. 

Joy sighed as she sat down next to Irene, placing her head on her shoulder, "I just want to make a good impression. I mean, not everyone who meets me can have a one on one chat with me. I'd like to think of myself as a busy girl." Joy raised her head again, raising her fist in victory with a wide smile, "Just you wait, Son Seungwan will be excited to befriend a girl such as myself."

* * *

Or at least that was what she told herself because, for the next two days, Joy had grown bitter due to Seungwan's sudden disappearance. The girl had been gone for nearly two days, and today was the day for their meet-up. Was the exchange of address all for nothing? If only Seungwan knew the damage, this was to Joy's reputation and heart. 

"Why the gloomy look?" Irene asked suddenly, catching her friend in and out of reality. 

"She's been gone for two days. I have no form of contacting her." Joy responded as she laid her head on the desk. 

"You didn't exchange numbers?" 

"I tried to, but she doesn't have a phone. I mean, who doesn't have a phone when it's the 21st century! Even little kids who drool have phones!" The taller girl protested as Irene raised her brow. 

"I suppose that's a bit sketchy, or it just could be that she can't afford one at the moment. I mean, she's only here because of a scholarship-" 

"That's right! Joohyun, you genius! I'll just buy her a phone if that's the case. Phones nowadays are far too cheap now."

The shorter girl tilted her head, shaking her head furiously, "That's not at all what I was implying. Sooyoung, you barely know the girl. What are you doing?" 

Her taller friend simply shook her head, "I'll do anything to be acknowledged by someone like Seungwan." And with that, Sooyoung had rushed through the school building without a single logical thought in her head. Perhaps Joy's obsession with knowing Seungwan on a personal level would be fine, though a part of her couldn't help but feel as if she was only heading towards disaster. 

As soon as the school day had ended, Joy stormed off to her car in a rush to her home. Practically kicking her front door down, she quickly greeted her maids before running off to her room. Without hesitation, she rummaged through her belongings, looking for a particular phone given to her but never used. Finally, she spotted the gift in its original box. She grabbed the item, placing it on her desk as she paced her room to plot her plan. Sure, giving Seungwan a new phone she never used could go wrong. She can imagine all the bad outcomes within that scenario that involve the smaller girl cussing out Joy and storming off. Sooyoung needs a plan that could slowly win over the girl enough to give her the phone without a huge commotion. But what if she didn't have enough time to win over Seungwan? No matter what, she needs to befriend this girl. 

Joy sighed, dropping her body on her bed, continuously wondering about her. What does she do when she had spare time, or even what caused the girl's heart to flutter. Seungwan was a complete mystery at this point, and it pained Joy to gamble her chances with Seungwan. What could go wrong? It's not like it'd accidentally end up in murder. Of course not. 

There was a knock on the door calling out her name, "Ms. Park?" 

"Yes?" 

"You have a visitor." 

Joy jumped from her bed, opening the door in such a hurry. "Where? Did they say their names?" 

"Well, she said-"

"Never mind that, where is she?" She hurried the older maid quickly until they had reached the front door. Her eyes couldn't believe the sight, and it was Seungwan in casual clothing instead of their school uniform. Seungwan shyly smiled, bowing towards Joy, finally facing Seungwan. She begins to notice the small patch on Seungwan's cheek that covers up the left side of her face. 

"Are you free to work on the project today?" She asked as Joy could only smile as she leaned against the door frame, completely unaware that her maid was watching her sly, cheesy moment. 

"Always for my partner." 

"Great," She smiled widely, watching the taller girl remain in her spot, "May I come in?" 

The question had almost startled Sooyoung more than it should. Son Seungwan was going to be with her for hours working on a project together. What fanfiction is this? Joy moved out of the way as she excused her workers before shutting the door when the smaller girl had entered. They headed towards Sooyoung's room, setting her bag on the bed and pulling out their project items. The two began to speak of the project for some time, but one thing kept bothering Sooyoung. That thing just happened to be needing to know Seungwan, especially with the patch on her face. 

"Were you sick for the last two days?" Sooyoung asked suddenly, causing Seungwan to stop her writing process. 

"No, I had graveyard shifts at work. I decided to sleep in instead," She explained, looking over at Joy who's grin seemed to grow every second. "I'm surprised you noticed I was gone. Most of the partners I've had just tend to talk to me to know when I'll be done." Joy raised a brow, looking utterly confused a what she meant. "I'm quite surprised you'd want to do the project together. Most people tend to leave all the work to me." 

"Why would I do that? I mean, it's my grade too, silly." She joked, nudging Seungwan's shoulder, receiving a small smile in response. 

"You know, you're a lot more different than I thought you'd be," Seungwan confessed, looking over at Joy. 

"What kind of person did you assume I was?" Joy asked, aching to know. 

"Well, not that all rich people have the same attitude, but the partners I've had tend to be a lot more wild and reckless." 

"Who says I'm not, Seungwan?" She joked, causing Seungwan to giggle. Maybe it was the excitement of their first encounter or the sound of her giggle that made Joy feel so accomplished. What would they be if they knew each other better? 

"You can call me Wendy, you know? If that's better for you." 

Joy smiled, looking over at their papers scattered around her bed, "Wendy, huh?" Sooyoung asked while receiving a nod from the girl. Wendy looked towards her old watch on her wrist, noticing the late hour. She began to gather her papers into her folder in a rush, causing the patch on her cheek to fall. Joy slightly gasped at the sight of scratches on her cheek. Wendy felt the patch slid off, causing her to grab the loose bandage quickly. 

"Sorry," She muttered, covering her cheek. She began to grab her bag quickly as her heart pounded loudly in such a panic. 

"I'm guessing cats aren't the friendliest with you." Joy joked, catching Wendy's attention. "Wait here." 

"Wait, you don't have to-" Before she could finish her sentence, she watched Joy disappear into the hallway. She didn't think much of the scratches on her cheek, but she knew walking around with them might lead to misunderstandings at school. If only she were more careful about feeding stray cats that were so afraid of people. 

"I'm back," The taller girl reentered her room, pulling Seungwan down to her bed again. "Stay still," She said, pulling out a wipe from its packet, slowly rubbing on Wendy's cheek. 

"Ow!" Wendy jumped, scaring Joy as well. 

"Wendy!" Joy smacked the girl's arm, surprising Wendy too. She grabbed her shoulder, pretending to be in pain. They laughed at each other's silly behavior. It was odd for Wendy to feel this free to be herself and have someone who laughs with her. It wasn't only strange for Wendy, but Joy too. Even if Seungwan barely knew it, it felt like she knew Wendy long enough. Joy placed a new, proper bandage over her cheek. "There, good as new." 

Wendy looked down at her feet with a smile on her face before she looked over at Sooyoung, "Thanks." She muttered as the two began to walk out until they had reached the house's front gates. 

"Well, doctor's orders are to attend school tomorrow morning and to not fight with cats." Sooyoung joked as Wendy chuckled lightly, saluting at the girl. 

"Aye aye, Captain." She began to wave goodbye as she walked away from Sooyoung's million-dollar home that feels like a dream to walk by. 

Sooyoung watched as the girl's small figure disappear into the distance. A small smile forming on her face as she headed back inside. Son Seungwan was going to be the death of her. 

* * *

Within the day, Joy couldn't contain herself from smiling at the thought of Wendy finally realizing how amazing she is. Of course, it'd take time to win a girl over. She couldn't buy Wendy, nor did she desire to buy her trust. There was something about Seungwan's personality that seemed fresh. Practically skipping through the school's hallways, Joy spotted Seungwan putting her items away in a nearby locker. Without much thought, Sooyoung rushed to her, but before approaching any further, she paused to check her breath, fix her hair, and straighten out her uniform. Finally, she walked over as she cooly leaned her hand on the metal lockers. 

"Ms. Son," She greeted as Wendy yelped a bit in surprise, "I'm glad you're following the doctor's orders." 

Seungwan laughed, looking down at her feet shyly before looking over to Sooyoung, who towered over her. "Well, I am good at following directions after all." 

"I can see that. You couldn't have imagined how lonely I felt when you were gone in class. Biology never felt so lonely before," Sooyoung dramatically placed her fingers in the bridge of her nose as if she were hiding her tears. "I nearly died from heartbreak." 

Wendy laughed as she closed her locker, walking away from Joy's dramatic behavior, causing the older girl to follow behind her, "Not much of a talker in school, huh? Never thought Ms. Son would ignore such a sweetheart that cleaned her cuts." 

"I would never ignore a sweetheart such as yourself. I'm merely protecting your image from being shattered. Wouldn't want Park Sooyoung to be at the bottom of the food chain." Seungwan spoke, looking forward, completely disregarding Joy. The sudden denial of public interaction had struck in her heart. Sure, Joy was popular, but she couldn't possibly care about others' opinions. She took this as her chance. She walked along Wendy's side, making sure people had a clear view of her actions.

Joy stopped Wendy before going into class, hoping to chat more. "I can assure you, and no one can ruin my image. I think about it more, and perhaps having you beside me might even convince people I can rule the world? Maybe I can hire you as my vice president. That's how it works, right?"

Wendy chuckled, shaking her head, "I'm not an easy woman to convince Ms. Park. You'll need to step up your game to have me at such levels." 

Joy smiled, containing her excitement from bursting any further. "Well, I'll be happy to convince you anytime, though, for now, I have to let you go into class." She leaned against the door frame as Seungwan bit her lower lip, holding back her smile. "See you later, Seungwan." 

Throughout the day, Joy couldn't help feel as if she were melting inside. Being around Seungwan felt different compared to her world. Sure, the girl didn't have a phone and hadn't shared any information about herself, but maybe that's what made her so addicting? It was as if most classes or any other subject didn't matter to Joy. Her mind was set on impressing Wendy and befriending her. It might be a bit selfish, but aren't we all? Her day had gone by quicker than she could count, and soon enough, Wendy was standing in front of her door. 

"Ready?" 

"Always." 

It was as if both were gentle souls who were already familiar with each other as if it were destined. Of course, before getting any further with Joy's plan, she had her other friends who were curious about their relationship. Joy had never specified her intentions, neither did it clear to Wendy that she had officially befriended the most popular girl in school. Until the day Sooyoung had dragged Wendy out of her classroom and into the lunchroom. She stood in front of her friends, who eyed her arm linked with Seungwan. 

"Ladies, I'd like to present to you, Son Seungwan. The school's smartest girl." She separated herself from Wendy, pushing her to the front for her friends to see. 

"So you're the famous Seungwan, huh?" Yeri asked, tilting her head, pretending to intimidate the girl, earning a slap from Seulgi.

"Don't mind her, and she's nicer than she acts." Seulgi added with a wide smile on her face as she stood up from her seat to pull Wendy next to her, "It's nice to meet you finally. Sooyoung practically speaks about you 24/7." 

Wendy raised a brow as she looked over at Joy, who looked bashful from the sudden "extra" information. 

"Yeah, yeah, that's because Wendy is so cool. Who wouldn't speak about her so much?" She added, saving herself from the embarrassment. "Well, you met Seulgi. This is Yeri. She's quite the sarcastic child so ignore her. And lastly, we have Irene-" 

"Joohyun. Call me Joohyun." She smiled, looking at Wendy with a certain look that seemed to be unwanted. Of course, it may be her natural intimidating face. 

"Seungwan, but you guys can call me Wendy." She finally introduced herself as Joy happily clung to her. Perhaps personal space didn't exist when it came to her. Of course, it's not like she minded it. 

"So Seungwan, how did you befriend Joy?" Seulgi asked, looking at the shy girl.

"Uh, well, we are partners in class." She answered honestly, looking over at the group who either seemed interested or staring into her soul. 

"First time officially meeting Sooyoung, right?" Irene asked, looking over at Wendy, who raised her brow, the sudden feeling that she shouldn't be there, returning. Joy smiled at Wendy to reassure her. 

"Uh yeah. Truth be told, I don't really speak to people outside of class." 

"Well, luckily, we can talk to you now. Let's get along, Seungwan," Seulgi interrupted happily, taking Seungwan's hand in hers. 

Yeri remained quiet, watching her two older friends practically staring at each other. "Well, happy to have you here, Wendy." She interrupted, causing Irene to turn her head to the girl with her brows raised. Letting Joy smile in victory, everyone seemed to like Wendy. What could go wrong? 

* * *

Over the next few weeks of working together and eventually getting a perfect score on their assignment, Joy had happily remained with Seungwan. It was shocking to see Joy consistently coming to her before or after school, to Wendy's surprise. Even offering her to hang out with her group outside of school. Sure, she felt a bit out of place with the group's consistent need to shop at clothing stores worth more than herself. Joy had always managed to pull her back into her world as if there wasn't any barrier between the two, even to the point where Joy had offered to buy her clothing that looked too expensive to even look at. But even with the most beautiful clothing pieces in front of her, she refused to accept such an expensive gift.

With their Spring break practically a few minutes away, Joy anxiously felt the need to give Wendy the phone. How would she survive without bugging Seugnwan to come over to her house? Her hands sweated as she held the present tightly. As the bell rang for everyone to go home and enjoy their break, she waited for Seungwan, who was a bit too slow for Joy's taste. Finally, she stepped out, putting her items into her bag. 

"Wendy!" She called out, waving her hand for the smaller girl to notice.

"Joy? What are you doing here?" Seungwan asked, causing Joy's nerves to skyrocket. 

"I have a present for you?" 

Wendy raised her brow, tilting her head, "Is it a statement or a question? Joy if its another piece of clothing that's worth more than me, I can't accept it-" 

"Worth more than you? There isn't anything worth more than my precious Seungwan." She pinched Wendy's cheek as she slapped her arm to stop. 

"What is it then? Park Sooyoung, I hope you know I'm not your charity case to make you look better." 

Joy laughed, looking down at her feet and back to Seungwan, "If you were my charity case, I'd show the entire world what I've done to you and how much it's changed my heart. But enough about that," she held the wrapped gift, pushing it towards Wendy. "I know you always say you can't accept my gifts, but I don't want to miss any contact with you over the break. I'll miss you too much," She pouted as she looked at Seungwan's widened eyes. 

"Joy, I-" 

"Before you have any comments about the model, I'll have you know, that phone hasn't even been released in public yet, but because of the Kang family loving me so much, I was one of the first people to receive the phone." She bragged as she pushed her hair back cockily but internally panicking about Wendy's unknown reaction.

"Wow, I don't even know what to say. You do realize our break will only be a week, right?" 

"A week without my Seungwan is too long to handle. Besides, I always wondered how it'd be texting you outside of school." 

"I have no words. I mean, are you sure you want to give me something like this?" 

"Of course, I think of you as someone special to me. If we look at this on the bright side, I can finally keep you awake while you have a graveyard shift at work." She shyly dragged her feet across the floor as Wendy continued to look at her phone. 

"Thank you, Joy. I'll try to get the phone connected as soon as I get my paycheck-" 

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I've practically done everything. All you have to do is text me tonight." 

Wendy smiled as she unwrapped her phone, powering it on. Once the screen was clear, she scrolled through her contacts to find Sooyoung's number in there already. Joy snatched the phone from her hands, pulling Seungwan close to her. "Here, let's take a photo for your background." Her arms wrapping around the short girl as she smiled along with Joy in the photo. Once the photo was set, she gave the phone back as Wendy smiled widely. Unable to contain her happiness, she pulled the taller girl into a hug, burying her face in her neck. Mumbling a quick yet sincere thank you. Once they had let go, Seungwan had walked away, disappearing from Joy's sight. 

Later that night, Joy, despite having Wendy on her mind, was busy meeting with her track meet. Running and scheduling future practices over the break, her thoughts were interrupted with the slight buzz of her phone in her pocket. She recognized the number immediately, opening the message of a small animal waving at her. She excused herself from her team as she left for her car, dialing the new number texting her. It didn't take long for Wendy to pick up, mumbling a shy greeting. 

"Welcome to the 21st century, Seungwan. How does it feel to have a phone?" 

"Weird, but I think I can get used to it." She responded, "Especially if my only friend will constantly be asking me to speak with her." 

Joy laughed at her sarcasm yet smiled at the mention of being friends. "So, I finally managed to convince Son Seungwan to befriend me, huh? Was it because I spoil you?" 

Wendy laughed on the other end, "Oh please, I denied all your bribery until now. Don't make me take it back." 

"Fine, fine. Can I call you later? I mean, once I get home from practice. Perhaps we can finally have our first endless chats on the phone?" 

"Hmm, well, I suppose I could try. I can't guarantee I won't fall asleep."

Joy smiled as she looked down at her feet, "Talk to you later, Seungwan." Sooyoung held her phone against her chest, feeling somehow even more successful. Wendy was all she ever wanted, and now she was finally there. 

* * *

As days had passed by, Joy's heart melted every time she was near Seungwan. Wendy never failed to make her feel warm inside. She felt at home. Wendy was her safe place. But did Wendy ever feel the same? Because within the months that lead to their summer break, Wendy had become quieter, distant, who knew where her mind was. No matter what Joy did, whether it was hanging out alone or with others, Wendy's smile always faded. What was wrong with Wendy? It was an issue that didn't go unnoticed by her friends. Joy's friends adored Wendy as well, but they too were confused by her sudden coldness, all but Irene. There was a question that always came around, that being, "What did I do?" or "Do you think I'm not doing enough for her?" 

But it wasn't until one night. Joy decided to bring everyone to her house to celebrate their summer vacation. It had started the same with Wendy refusing to talk much, keeping away from others as she looked out Sooyoung's balcony with a glass cup wrapped around tightly in her hand. Her eyes searching the distant city lights as if something would give her an answer to her dilemma. She can hear the nearby girls giggling to themselves. Why did she even come to hang out if she wasn't going to speak to anyone? Well, you could say guilt ate at her every time Sooyoung's smile faltered when she would decline her invitation. But the questions remained, what was wrong with Wendy that made her so cold? It was something about the party that had sent Wendy into hysteria because while Joy was with Seulgi and Yeri, Irene had left to talk to Seungwan on the balcony until she returned, shouting for Sooyoung to get her a medkit for Seungwan. The taller girl had rushed over, seeing Seungwan's hand ooze an alarming amount of blood. 

"Oh my god, what happened?!" Joy shouted as she knelt to hold Wendy's hand as Seulgi returned with the kit. "Seungwan, what did you do?" 

Seungwan, who seemed far too distant even to understand the question, stared at Sooyoung, applying gauzes on her hand that kept oozing. "I...I accidentally stabbed myself with the glass that fell. I tried to pick it up..." Sooyoung looked to meet the girl's eyes, who lacked so much emotion. The taller girl pulled Wendy up, telling the other girls to wait while she took Wendy to the hospital. Sooyoung didn't understand the girl's silence or actions as if her hand wasn't looking like a dead person. She didn't waste any time rushing the girl inside the building, shouting at employees for help as Wendy acted as if it were no big deal. The nurses sat Seungwan down, unwrapping the number of gauzes on her hand. As soon as one of the doctors arrived, they began to clear out the dry blood and pull out shards of glass deep in Wendy's skin but stop midway because of Wendy. 

"Sooyoung, can you wait for me outside?" She asked, suddenly catching Sooyoung's undivided attention. Was she being kicked out for her own sake or Seungwan's? 

"Yeah, I'll go." Joy excused herself, waiting in the hallway as she leaned her head back into the wall, staring at the infinite white abyss of the ceiling. She wondered if there was something she had done that turned Wendy against her. Was it because she felt out of place with the others? Or maybe there was something else troubling her? Though the question remained, who or what was bothering Wendy wouldn't be revealed unless they spoke. Her thoughts were silenced at the sound of the door opening, seeing the doctor from before excuse himself. She took this as a sign to reenter the room, seeing Seungwan lay down on the bed with her hand completely wrapped. 

"Feeling any better?" She asked, catching Seungwan's attention, who just shrugged her shoulders. She knew her hand was currently unavailable, but she could at least use her words. Sooyoung sat next to her, crossing her arms as she texted her group that Seungwan was fine. 

"Sooyoung," Seungwan rasped, looking at Joy, "Why are we still friends?" Sooyoung blinked a few times before actually comprehending Seungwan's words. She reached over for Wendy's unharmed hand but was rejected by Seungwan, moving it away. Sooyoung cleared her throat as if that'd help her heart from pouring out. 

"We're friends because I enjoy your company," She whispered, looking over at Seungwan, who stared at the ceiling, "D-Did I do something wrong? What can I do to fix-" 

"Don't start with that," She said as she pushed herself up to face Sooyoung, "Frankly, this is probably the worst place to break it to you, but we have nothing in common, Sooyoung. And I didn't ever think I'd have to spell it out for you, but I hate being with you." 

"That's...harsh, don't you think?" Sooyoung whispered, pushing back her tears threatening to drop. 

"I just hate it, but don't get me wrong, I loved you, and a part of me always will, but every time we hang out, it's like some part of my love just drops dead at the sight of rich girls constantly going on about their expenses, and better yet, inviting the poor girl who can barely afford to go to their school, to hear all about it. I must have looked like quite the fool, huh?" 

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you felt this way..." She whispered, looking away from Seungwan, who stared down at her. "If I had known, I would have-" 

"Have what? Made sure to make me feel better? Joy, you never bothered to ask how I felt about anything because everything was always about you. I was never asked for my opinions on things, my feelings on any day, you don't even know anything about me, but you knew that, didn't you?" Seungwan sighed, laying back on her bed, placing her arm over her eyes. "I think it's time you left, Sooyoung. You have guests to attend to." 

"Wendy, I'm so sorry-" 

"Joy, please just go. I don't want to hear it." 

Sooyoung stood up from her seat, looking at Seungwan, who was covering most of her face one last time before she left. The taller girl wobbled her way to her car, with her chest constantly caving in to breathe in anything that could save her from her mind spiraling around. She opened her car door, gripping the steering wheel. Lifting her fist high before pushing it down to hit her armrest. No matter what she did, she couldn't live with this feeling. To say she felt betrayed would make her feel selfish. Seungwan, who seemed to have been interested in becoming friends but ended up hating Joy's presence, had every right to feel the way she did. After all, the reason behind their friendship had started as a selfish attempt to be known by everyone. 

* * *

For the remainder of Summer, Sooyoung spent her days rereading her messages with Seungwan, back when things felt genuine. The start of their friendship. Reading all the texts may just be mentally screwing her up more, but it felt so nice to imagine that Wendy was still her friend, not someone who despised her. Though, her friends said otherwise. Something about how unhealthy it was to mourn over a poor girl who did Sooyoung wrong. However, Joohyun encouraged her to turn against her feelings and despise Seungwan for underappreciating what Sooyoung had done for the girl. Seulgi remained quiet for most of the time, perhaps because she felt Seungwan had the right reasons to call off their relationship and because she genuinely liked Seungwan. Maybe their friendship was more real than Sooyoung's. 

"Sooyoung, for christ's sake, get ready right now so we can go to this stupid party. We aren't spending summer locked in your room because of one girl. There is plenty of fish in the sea!" Joohyun pushed Sooyoung out of bed as Seulgi handed her clothing, and Yeri guided her to the bathroom to shower and change. 

Sooyoung sighed, looking at herself in the mirror. Bags under her eyes, looking lifeless, she missed Seungwan so much it hurt to live. She shook her head, putting the thought of Wendy away. She was certain Seungwan didn't ever think of her now that she was free. She couldn't care less for Joy. The tall girl slapped her cheeks, staring at herself in the mirror in an attempt to cheer herself on, "Come on, Sooyoung, you're the greatest person ever. Even great people, who might be in despair, deserve some fun." 

She began to turn the water on, drowning out the sound of her thoughts as she hummed. This was the day she was going to prove that though her heart may be torn, she could still party. By the time she was finished, she had stepped out, wiping the fog out of her mirror to face herself again. Today was the day of greatness. Sooyoung began to change into her clothing, fixing her hair and makeup. Truth be told, she felt like a soldier heading off to war. Her only enemy today was her emotions if she let them get to her, but of course, that wasn't going to happen. Once she stepped out, her friends stared at her as if she were a new person. 

"Well, let's go party!" She shouted as her friends clapped in victory. 

The girls rushed through Sooyoung's house to get to her car as they cruised through the city with their music blaring until they had arrived at their destination. They hopped out of the car, checking themselves out before entering. It took Sooyoung a while to register that she was not dreaming. With the music pumping and bodies swaying as she saw schoolmates chugging down the substance from their cup. 

"Sooyoung! The queen of partying finally came out of her shell. I was starting to think I was going to replace you," A girl called out from the stairs as she came down to greet her friends. 

"Sunmi?" Sooyoung asked, genuinely surprised to see her senior hang out with wasted teens. "What're you doing here? I thought you'd be partying at universities, not highschool parties."

"Well, I'm not partying. I'm pretty much just supervising everything." She answered, wrapping her arms around Sooyoung, "But because my party girl is here, I have to celebrate now!" She walked them over to the table, grabbing a cup filled with what she called a mystery flavor. Joy grabbed the cup, staring down at the drink. If this were the only night, she'd want to forget, and this was the night she'd set herself free. Sooyoung began to desperately chug down the substance, feeling the burning sensation flowing right through her. 

As the two girls guided through the crowd to dance, Joy could have sworn that the drink had some magic potion in it because the more she began to dance, anyone who stood in front of her somehow began to resemble Wendy. Maybe it was the lighting, though not like she minds the hallucination because it felt so real to her. Whether it was real or not, she felt her partner's body sway up against her, holding the back of Sooyoung's neck to keep her in place as the crowd watched and cheered on. Once the song was over, her partner began to peel away, revealing her true face, pulling Joy back into the reality she was in. Sooyoung excused herself to get some fresh air, noticing her friends too far gone to comprehend how late it was getting.

Seeing how her friends were, she decided to sober up the best she could to drive them back to her house. How did Joy know she was sober? Well, there was an easy answer. She knew she felt herself missing Seungwan. No mattered how much she partied or how much she drank, Seungwan was like a scar on her body engraved into her skin. How could she be so sad over a one-sided friendship? More importantly, why did it hurt more than a breakup? Joy shook her head, parting herself from the thought of her former friend. To keep herself occupied, she began to go inside to get her friends back into her car, one by one. Once they were inside, drunkenly complaining about how hungry they were as she drove off.

Sooyoung nodded her head as she heard their food demands but completely ignored their request to stop anywhere. The car ride suddenly became silent as the soft snores of the girls were heard. She began to drive around, noticing that none of the streets she was heading towards were familiar to her. Stopping at a stoplight, she pulled out her phone to insert her address to get home. As soon as she sees lights turn, she is guided through empty streets by her GPS, switching her view from the street to the dim screen. When she had switched her view back to the street, pushing the gas pedal to speed up, suddenly, her phone buzzed, causing her to look over, unaware of someone running in front of the street, knocking them behind the car as Joy slammed her breaks, hitting her head against the steering wheel. Slowly, raising her head, she looks up to see the dent on the front of the hood of the car. Her breath was shaky as she turns to look at Irene, who's fully awake and unaware of what just happened. The girls in the back groaned at the sudden halt, kicking Joy's seat for scaring them like that. 

"Stay here," she whispered to Irene, who watched her grab her phone. As Joy stepped down, she looked at the car's front, noticing the dent was a lot bigger in person. She cursed under her breath as she looked inside the car to see Joohyun staring at her. Joy turned on her light as she began to walk towards the distant body that was forced to the back of the car. She noticed the blood pooling around the girl's head, and she looked nearly the same age. Sooyoung crouched next to the body, slowly noticing her bones popping out of place as her legs practically face a whole other direction. Sooyoung was going to be sick, feeling the food from before coming up as she ran off to the other side of the road to throw up on a nearby bush. 

Irene watched as Joy had runoff. She grabbed her phone, turning on the flash to see the body. Soon after, the other girl's followed too. Joy went back to the body as she covered her face in complete frustration. Once she let go, she turned her flash on to get a glimpse of the girl's face. Overwhelmed with her own emotions, she reached over with her hands to move the strands of hair on her face but was pulled back by Joohyun. 

"Are you crazy?! Do you have some type of death wish?!" She scolded as Joy shrugged her shoulders in defeat. 

"What am I supposed to do then?! I just ran over some poor girl. I-I have to call the cops, and they'll take me away. I deserve this. I am a horrible human being. I-" 

"Shut up, Sooyoung. Listen to yourself. You'll go to prison for manslaughter, and then what? You can barely handle being in crowded commoner areas. What makes you think you can handle so much? You're barely sober, Sooyoung. If you call the police, we'll all be in trouble for drinking underage and for manslaughter! All of our lives are ruined if you call anyone!" Joohyun yelled as Joy looked at her with tears in her eyes. 

Sooyoung walked to the side of the road, grabbing a stick to at least see the victim's face. She crouched close to the body, ignoring Joohyun's complaints. Seulgi and Yeri, despite barely being sober enough to comprehend, stood behind Sooyoung as they illuminated the victim's body. Joy moved the strands from her face, suddenly feeling even more disgusted with herself. 

"T-That's-" Yeri stuttered, pointing at the body as Seulgi stood there completely frozen. "We fucking hit Seungwan!" Yeri exclaimed loudly enough for Joohyun to walk over and look at the body. Joy stood in place, suddenly inching closer to hold Wendy's lifeless body, but was pulled away by Irene and Yeri. 

"Let go! She needs help. She needs to be taken to a hospital. I said, let go! Please, she's gonna die if we leave her here," Sooyoung pleaded as she tried to pull away only to feel Joohyun let go and slap her. 

"Get it together. Look at her. Do you think someone is going to survive with that much damage?! Huh?! We need to leave now, or we'll all be screwed." She sternly spoke, trying to pull everyone back into the car that barely worked until Seungwan's phone buzzed, causing Joy to pull back towards the body. She saw the same phone she had given Wendy and the same lock screen she had taken with her that day. Wendy did care about her too, and maybe she, too, was in pain from being away. But seeing as things are now. Sooyoung had killed Seungwan. 

Joohyun pulled Sooyoung into the car's back with Seulgi and Yeri as she took the driver's seat. Without uttering a single word, they remained quiet until reaching Sooyoung's house. Once they were inside, the girls rested on the bed while Sooyoung sat beside it. Irene, who had always been a natural leader, took this as her time to take control. She stood up as the girls' watched her. 

"Guys, we can't let anyone know about this. Alright? This secret will stay with us until the day we die." She began as she walked back and forth, "In fact, we didn't even hit anyone. There was a wild animal that got in the way and dented Sooyoung's car. It was an animal, right?" Seulgi and Yeri stared at each other as they slowly nodded, leaving Sooyoung quiet. "I said it was an animal, Sooyoung. Do you agree?" 

Sooyoung's baggy eyes looked towards Joohyun as she nodded in agreement. It wasn't that she was dehumanizing Seungwan. It was just the only way to keep Irene quiet. She stood up as she began to pick out her pajamas before showering. The other girls just waited for Joy to finish as they watched her grab spare blankets and pillows for them. It was obvious none of them wanted to leave when the night had ended with murder. Joy laid herself on the ground, unable to get the mental image of Wendy on the street. It was weird for her to feel so numb. Was her heart even beating? Was she alive? What if Seungwan was still alive and slowly dying on a lonely road in the middle of the night? 

Oh, Son Seungwan. 

Within the next morning, the girls remained quiet as they ate breakfast with Sooyoung's parents. Both parents eyed the girls as they barely picked their food. "Is everything alright, girls?" Sooyoung's mom asked. 

"Yeah, just a wild night," Seulgi answered, smiling despite the very few hours of sleep they got due to shock, trauma, and Sooyoung's sobs. 

"Must have been one hell of a sleepover," Her father replied as he drank his coffee, reading the headlines in the newspaper. 

Sooyoung stood up and excused herself as all the girls' eyed her nervously. They excused themselves as well as they followed behind. They watched as she laid herself on the floor again, hugging her pillow, scrolling the same text messages on repeat. The three looked at each other, aware of how the remainder of their summer would be until the day they enter school in a few weeks. After that day, Sooyoung had become much quieter. Her life of the party personality had completely shut down. Not even her parents understood what happened, but they never got an answer no matter how much they asked. Though on the bright side, there wasn't ever any news about a hit and run. There was a chance that maybe someone with a braver heart took in Wendy and rushed her off to the hospital. Or someone found her, and her family was mourning their loss. Not that both options made Sooyoung feel anything.

Her guilt consumed her soul until the very first day of school. So many things have changed since the incident. Joy had refused to ever drive her car after telling her parents an animal had been hit and preferred to be driven by her chauffeur. She quit her club activities as soon as school started. All she had was a new schedule but no Seungwan to make her feel complete. She doesn't quite remember how she got to class, but it didn't matter. Joy sat in the back of the class, completely zoned out by her thoughts and memories of Seungwan with her. The tall girl had completely forgotten about attendance that would tear her heart apart even more. 

"Son Seungwan?" Her teacher called out, looking around the room. "Is Son Seungwan here?" As students looked around the room causing her stomach to turn into knots every time. Suddenly the door opened, causing everyone but Joy to look over. 

"I'm here, and I'm so sorry." The familiar voice called out, causing Joy to whip her head to the side to see the impossible. 

"Ms. Son Seungwan?" The teacher asked. 

"That's me." She replied as she smiled widely, looking over at the class until her eyes landed on Joy. She leaned her head to the side, curiously staring at Sooyoung. 

"You may sit next to Ms. Park." Her teacher informed as Sooyoung looked at the desk beside her. She watched as Wendy made her way over so graciously. She was anew, glowing, beautifully walking over full of life. The sight of her alive overwhelms Joy, but she doesn't know how she should feel or act. Should she ask how she managed to survive? Does she get on her knees to apologize and tell her everything she felt? Or should she just remain quiet and let this new Wendy live her life the way it should have been. There were so many questions running through her mind, and she completely forgot she was staring at Wendy for so long, realizing her hair was no longer brunette but blonde. No scar on her face, no bandages, no trace at all. 

Seungwan slowly turned to Joy, who looked like she'd burst into tears at any moment now. She smiled at Joy, causing the girl to gasp and look away. "Hope we can get along, Sooyoung." 


	2. Drop Dead Gorgeous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Destined killer or just an unfortunate soul? Seungwan asks herself that question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lowkey this is a semi gory chapter so just a heads up. Also thank you so much for the kudos I appreciate you all ^^

Have you ever thought to yourself, how does one survive a hit and run? Well, it’s simple. Seungwan’s life was turned upside down the day she was run over, well more like before and after the incident. Let’s switch perspective to Son Seungwan on the day she was run over. 

Just like any other day, she ended her shift late at night, with no buses available. Her only option was to walk home. Well, the act is simple, stepping into the direction of her home, but Wendy lived in the city's outer skirts. The part that many people tended to avoid, yes, it was true, Seungwan lived in the ‘poor’ areas filled with delinquents' spray painting the walls or empty liquor bottles that decorated the street. Seungwan lived in the poor areas of the city, which she hated with a passion. Not because of how poor people were but because of the assumptions that came with being poor. 

Though, she must admit she was intrigued by the nightlife of her neighborhood. The sex workers swaying their hips in attempts to gain a customer. She feels that they recognize Wendy due to her schedule, but never in her life was she mistaken as a worker until that day. She remembers it clearly like if it were yesterday. She walked quickly through the area of the workers, but a man approached her. Heavy breathing, reeking of alcohol, and the typical plain ripped clothes from being overused. 

“You must be new,” He said as he grabbed Seungwan’s arm. “How much do you charge per hour?” 

She pulled her arm away, but his grip tightened, hurting her every time she pulled. “I’m not a worker. Please let go,” She begged as she suddenly saw him leaning down, pulling off the bandage on her hand, coughing out his lungs. Seungwan pulled away in disgust as she felt the droplets of his saliva land on her wounded hand that was barely healing. The young girl pulled away, kicking the man on his shin to let go. She wasn’t quite sure what caused him to let go. Either he was getting sick and growing weak, or her hit was harder than she thought. Without much thought, she ran off into the streets, hearing his grunts stop as heavy steps trailed behind her. 

She didn’t know where she was heading exactly, and she just needed to lose him. Seungwan turned from corner to corner, even running through alleys to lose him. Unaware that she, too, was losing herself in the process. Maybe it was all in her head because the moment Wendy decided to stop running, it was too late to realize she was in the middle of a road trying to catch her breath. The girl turned her head, spotting the fast headlights come closer and closer until she felt the momentum of her body falling from the sky. Was this what it felt like to fly? Wendy couldn’t recall how things were. Her eyes remained closed, but somehow, she could hear people around her and feel the heat of their bodies. Their voices sounding so familiar to her; could it be who she thinks it is? 

“Are you crazy?! Do you have some type of death wish?!” Shouted one person as it finally hit Seungwan (no pun intended). 

“What am I supposed to do then?! I just ran over a poor girl. I-I have to call the cops, and they’ll take me away. I deserved this. I am a horrible human being. I-” She was cut off by the girl, she assumed was Irene. She continued to listen to their argument about what to do with the body, even the distant sound of Sooyoung throwing up. If this was how they acted with a dead body, she can’t imagine how they’d react to her identity. There was a sudden itch on her face, like the feeling of light scratches above her brows and the sound of a panicked voice. 

“T-That’s,” She stuttered, “We fucking hit Seungwan!” She shouted as the sound of her name rang through her ears. The warmth of Sooyoung had become a lot tenser, inching closer to her body. 

“Let go! She needs help!” Joy shouted as her warmth was pulled away from Seungwan, hearing a slap. 

“Get it together. Look at her. Do you think someone will survive with that much damage?! Huh?! We need to leave, or we’ll all be screwed.” She felt all their warmth slip away until her phone suddenly buzzed. Even half-dead, Wendy was aware it was her mother trying to contact her as the girls' dragged Joy away. Leaving Wendy to die confirmed her thoughts of her former group. She was only a charity case. 

Wendy wasn’t sure how long she laid on the floor. It felt like an eternity, just lying there lifeless and broken, literally and figuratively. Suddenly, she felt her muscles twitch, giving her enough strength to open her eyes for the moment. Her eyes, meeting the empty sky with the moon partly hidden away. What was it about these days that felt so empty? Maybe if she kept thinking about moving, her limbs would grant her wish. By some miracle, they finally did. She picked herself up, noticing her feet facing a completely different direction, and her fingers bent back, but it was as if it were an instinct to grab her fingers, putting them back into place. More importantly, she was amazed by the random strength to push her bones back into place, as if she wasn’t just on the brink of death. She grabbed her foot, twisting it to its original spot as she moved it around to gain some movement. As far as she knew, if there was any internal injury, she could drop dead any moment, but seeing as she suddenly became a doctor. She may not even be alive in the first place. Was this what it meant to be a zombie? 

Seungwan stretched her limbs as it popped. She reached down to pick up her phone, seeing the photo of her and Sooyoung together, now split in between from the crash. Oddly enough, it seemed to work well anyway as it buzzed. Wendy placed the phone next to her ear, hearing her mother ask about her whereabouts. 

“I’ll be home soon, don’t wait up for me,” She answered as she hung up, limping to the nearest street. She considered getting a taxi, but given her state, she’d scare them off. Wendy was bloody, and her wounds that were opened from her bones popping out were somehow healed, but there was so much dry blood on her body. There was something about her body that felt so alive, like if she was born again. Except, there was an unbelievable thirst in her that made her so desperate for water. Unfortunately, she’d have to wait until she got home to drink. She hoped her mother had taken her advice to avoid an uncomfortable chat about why she was covered in blood and how her former friends murdered her and ran off. Well, the explanation of how she was alive would remain more of an issue. 

Once she was home, she quietly walked into the small apartment, making sure the front door wouldn’t creek. She peeked over to the living room, seeing her mother asleep while waiting for her. Seungwan tiptoed her way to her bathroom, rushing to take off her sticky, bloody clothes, throwing them into a trash bag she found. Slowly, she began to run the water for her shower, and oddly she didn’t care if the water was cold or warm. Her primary concern was cleaning the blood off. Her hands softly touched her skin that should have been split open, or at the very least scared, but there wasn’t a single scratch on her skin. Seungwan stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her body. She walked over to her mirror as she cleared out the fog, staring at herself in such disbelief. Her eyes searched for any clue, but she spotted one strange thing. Her hand that was injured with glass was healed. She could have sworn it would've taken longer to heal. 

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the distant sound of her mother arguing with another familiar voice, her mother’s boyfriend, who she hated with all her heart. You’d think adults would grow up and quit acting like teenagers, but that wasn’t the case with her mother and boyfriend. Every day she was stuck listening to their argument and how much they hated each other, but they remained together nonetheless. If this were any other day, she would mute them with her thoughts, but tonight was different. Her hands gripped the corner of the sink, pressing down with all her strength as the corner suddenly chipped off, scaring the girl in the process. She eyed the thick piece in shock. This was impossible to break off, especially for a girl like Wendy, who always had little to no strength. She threw the piece into the trash as she began to tie it, ready to dispose of her bloody clothing. Seungwan stepped out of the bathroom with a towel still wrapped around her, wet hair still dangling. 

Seungwan headed for her room to change before planning to throw the bag away. Once she was done, she suddenly felt dizzy. Her vision spun around endlessly, causing her to fall onto the floor. She blinked a few times as her body suddenly began to feel weak. Her body was heating up. Her hands gripped her blankets to cover herself, which suddenly began to shiver. Did she catch some sickness? Or was this just her body reacting to internal injuries. There wasn’t any way to know unless she went to the hospital, but what would she say then? ‘I was hit by a car, but somehow I popped my body back into place but might be internally bleeding?’ 

Her eyes stared at the ceiling light, blinding her eyes, but she was too weak even to stand up to turn them off. She laid on her side as her ear was pressed against the floorboard, hearing footsteps come closer. 

“Seungwan? Are you alright?” Her mother asked behind the door. Seungwan wished she could answer, but she felt herself growing too weak to form a proper sentence. 

“I’m...fine.” She mumbled, barely enough for her mother to hear, “Lights, please turn off.” Her mother raised a brow, hearing her daughter speak so low. The older woman opened her door, spotting the young girl looking nearly lifeless on the floor with her blanket barely dragged off her bed. She rushed to her daughter, touching her forehead that was covered in sweat despite recently showering. 

“Honey, you’re burning up. We need to take you to the hospital.” 

“No,” Seungwan pleaded, afraid if she showed up, her former friends might figure out she’s still alive. Who knows what they’d be capable of doing, “I just have the flu...” She mumbled, trying to stand up on her own but falling onto her mother in the process. 

“You need to rest. I told you not to take nightshifts. Someone probably passed some bug to you.” Her mother explained as she pulled her child up, guiding her to bed. Seungwan’s mother looked around the room, spotting the trash bag that she planned to throw away. The older woman grabbed the bag and walked out, leaving Seungwan helpless from protesting. She was too weak to even argue with her mother. 

There was something wrong with Seungwan’s body, but she couldn’t understand how she suddenly caught the flu. She was hit by a car and somehow managed to come home, but her body couldn’t handle the flu? For the next few days, Seungwan had never felt so dead. She spent her days lying in bed, sweating without an end as her body forced most of its toxins out of her. It felt as if, for a moment, she was dying and just watching her mother run in and out of her room, forcing the girl to open her mouth when she refused to eat or take medication. But nothing was as bad as her thirst. Oh, her thirst was like a devil at her side. Surely calling thirst a devil was odd, but it was true. She craved more and more of it but was never satisfied with how much she drank. She was thirsty, but the water wasn’t enough to quench her body’s desires. 

It was odd to be this sick. Never in her 17 years of living had she ever caught the flu. It was an awful thing she had ever felt despite being run over. On days her mother was working, she laid in bed, hearing the endless sound of beer cans clashing together as if they were in her ear. She hated being alone with her mother’s boyfriend. She hated being sick, trapped in her small apartment. Hate, hate, hate. She just couldn’t handle the noise anymore. Seungwan stepped out of her room, walking to her living room to see a middle-aged man drinking his can of beer, gulping so disgustingly, and burping at the end of the process. 

“Do you mind keeping it down?” She asked, holding onto the wall as her only support. 

The man looked at her, frowning at her sudden request. He stood up, purposely letting out another burp to annoy the girl. “Look who’s finally out. Did you fake your sickness so you could skip work?” He asked as Seungwan stared at him lifelessly, “Besides, I pay the rent here too. I have every right to drink as much as I want.” 

Seungwan closed her eyes, growing impatient with him, but he was right. As long he pays rent for the apartment, too, he had a right to have no manners. He grabbed a cigarette from his front pocket, lighting it up to annoy the teenage girl. As he slowly got up, he blew the smoke into the girl’s face as he walked out of the apartment. There was something about her body that hated the scent, enough to make Seungwan run to the bathroom, throwing up in an instant. She felt her blood boil, her body screaming to destroy. Hate, that’s what it was. But for as long as her mother was gone during the day, she was stuck with a heartless man. 

There was something about the night that Seungwan grew to love. She detested the brightness of the sun and everyone’s fake personality. It reminded her of Sooyoung and her friends, the betrayal not just physically but emotionally. She often tossed and turned at the sound of her mother arguing with her boyfriend. 

“You spent our savings to gamble?!” Her mother cried out. 

“Calm down. I’ll get it back. You know I always do.” He replied, “Do you ever learn? All you ever do is lash out irrationally. Is that all you’re good for?” There was silence soon after until her mother spoke again. 

“Where are you going this late at night?!” 

“My life is none of your concern!” He yelled before the front door slammed shut, causing Seungwan to jump at the sound. 

She heard the soft sobs of her mother behind the thin walls. You may ask yourself, why doesn’t she comfort her mother? Well, for the past ten years of her life, she had comforted her for so long, but her mother never learned. There was only so much a daughter can do. Leaving him was entirely up to her mother. Seungwan remained quiet until her mother was tired enough to sleep as she, too, tried her best. Except one thing kept on bothering her. Where did the money go? The money her mother saved was for emergencies for the most part, but that never came. She called it Seungwan’s university funds. But now, they were gone. There was no future for her, no emergency money if any of them had fallen ill—nothing left to fall back on. 

Seungwan pushed herself off her bed as she limped her way to the living room. Quietly, she peered into her mother’s room to see the woman snoring slightly. This was the perfect time to find out why her mother’s boyfriend always stepped out at night. She grabbed her shoes as she stepped out of the apartment, unphased that she was going to follow some man in her pajamas. Almost in a zombie-like state, she walked around the nightlife. The place that started it all, the street filled with sex workers and midnight gambling. She wouldn’t be surprised if she caught him doing either one. 

She walked around endlessly, hoping to find her target, and by some miracle, she did. From across the street, she saw her mother’s boyfriend step out of a club with a woman in his arms. A young woman around her late 20’s flaunting her body. Seungwan laughed at the sight. Her mother’s boyfriend was having an affair with a stripper. Of course, Seungwan wouldn’t quite blame her for a reason they're miserable, but perhaps she was the reason for the lack of money. Seungwan didn’t quite know what to do at this point. Should she interrupt their moment and cuss him out and accuse him of stealing her mother’s savings? Or should she just stay behind, let life do its own thing. 

If she chose life to do something, it might take too long or not at all. Life sometimes had a soft spot for those who were genuinely crooked. She should do something to teach him a lesson. She remained distant to see the couple walk to a nicer apartment complex that could never compare to hers. He leaned down to kiss her gently as she smiled and walked into the building. Was he just paying for a one-sided relationship with a younger woman? She wasn’t quite sure what had got into her, but neither one of them liked where this was heading. Seungwan’s blood boiled at the love-struck man who stole her family's future. She hated selfish people. Despite her limp, Seungwan ran towards the man, pushing him into an alleyway where people wouldn’t see their argument. 

“You filthy pig!” She shouted, causing the man to pick himself up and look at Seungwan. 

“You little shit!” He yelled, grabbing Seungwan’s arm, “Look at this mess!” He pointed to his dirty clothing from falling into a puddle of filthy water. “I should beat you for this. Just you wait ‘til we get home-” 

“You’re not coming home! Leave the apartment. You already pay for another one anyway. Why don’t you ask your whore to help you?!” She shouted, punching his chest with the small amount of strength she had. “You’re terrible! You know my mom loves you, but here you are! You selfish pig, I hope you die!” Seungwan shouted, kicking and punching her way. 

“Yah! You little punk! Your mother is the one who begged me to stay with her. Do you think I like living in a home where I can’t ever relax or deal with a bratty child such as yourself? You’re the real ungrateful one here.” Seungwan stopped kicking and punching, coming to a realization of his words. This was the final straw for Seungwan. The man let go of her as he began to walk into the alley to light up a cigarette, hiding from the small current of wind. Seungwan doesn’t know how it happened, but with sudden new strength, she ran to the man, jumping on his shoulders as she unhinged her jaw to bite into his neck. 

She sank her teeth into his neck as she tore out pieces of him apart, spitting it out as he screamed. Blood spilling everywhere, even landing into her mouth, and soon she found her answer to her thirst. Seungwan jumped off the man as he banged himself from wall to wall, helplessly. He was losing too much blood to even scream for help. Finally, he collapsed as she walked over to him. The older man covered his spewing neck with one hand and the other pushing out to keep a distance from Seungwan. 

“P-Please, I’m sorry. Don’t kill me! I’ll do anything just, and please help me!” He slowly begged as his words stammered every few seconds. But Seungwan seemed too distant to understand what he was saying. 

‘Kill him, and he deserves it. Think of how happier you’ll be. Do it for your mom, do it for yourself, show him that you won’t be silenced anymore. Do it!’ The voice in her head screamed as she leaped on the man, sucking up all the blood she could get out of him. Her hands gripping his shoulders as she desperately drank every drop of him until his very last breath. After becoming dry, she backed away from him, wiping his blood from her mouth. Seungwan looked up at the sky, seeing the same empty sky as the moon hid away, except tonight felt different. Tonight she felt empowered. It was a day of liberation from those around her, her emotions, her burdens, her silence, and most importantly, her thirst. 

Seungwan smiled to herself as she looked back at the lifeless body, tapping the side of her hip as she thought to herself. What to do now with a dead body? Well, she wasn’t quite sure. She could carry him around, but seeing a small girl carrying a man twice her size, not to mention how bloody they were, would draw too much attention. She continued to think to herself but was interrupted by a small whistle coming from behind her. Seungwan turned to see the sewage cap vibrating from the rush of a substance flowing through. Was this just her lucky day, or was life favoring her for once in her life? She knelt to pry it open, and thanks to her new strength, it was a lot easier than she thought. You’d think seeing the filthy water flowing under the streets would gross out Seungwan, but it was a lot more pleasing than she thought. 

Why you may ask, well, everyone’s DNA was flowing through the sewage line. That’s right, everyone’s waste carries their DNA, and frankly, whoever found his body wouldn’t be able to pick out her own. Of course, it was a genius idea for someone with a weak stomach, probably not the cleanest one. But seeing as Seungwan drank his blood and spat out pieces of his neck, this was nothing. All she had to do was collect any leftover piece that she spat and the remaining blood. Well, if there are nobody and just the blood, anyone can assume someone just had a bad fight. Just think about it. She lived in a place where police wouldn’t care. Security was for those who were able to afford to pay off the force. The rich controlled everything, and it wasn’t something that was for debate. 

Seungwan began to drag his body over to the hole, but she checked through his wallet before anything, finding a lighter and the missing money bundled together. If there was any pity left for the man, seeing the money he stole was gone along with his body. Dragging his corpse in headfirst until his feet disappeared, followed by a splashing noise. Finally, her job was done. She sighed as she stretched her muscles, feeling so accomplished with herself. All she had to do now was go home safely along with the shadows of the alley. And as for her clothes? She’d have to burn them, of course, but not now. This day was already filled with chaos, and she deserves a break. Even her mother deserved one too. 

Rushing through the city, Seungwan finally arrived home before sunrise. Again, coming home covered in blood, maybe this was her new aesthetic. Quickly, she rushed to the bathroom, throwing every piece of clothing to the floor as she stepped into a cool tub of water that felt so great against her body. After tiring hours, murder was quite frustrating, but drinking was her reward, along with getting her mother’s savings. Never in her life did she imagine herself ripping the throat of a noisy man, but if words could describe her thirst washing away, it could be compared to eating a nice, cool, fruit-flavored ice cream on a hot summer day. Would she do it again? Probably not, but if it were needed, she’d do it in a heartbeat. 

Seungwan pushed herself out of the tub as she made her way to the mirror, admiring her new body. The question remained for her. If she were human, surely, she would have dropped dead long ago, but drinking blood? It was cliché, so obvious that she was more than human. A vampire? Perhaps. Maybe a ghoul or a zombie? But she would have eaten the remainder of the body. Why was she suddenly becoming like a vampire? Wasn’t one supposed to get bitten and suffer from insatiable thirst? Well, thirst was there, but now she feels she could run a marathon without an end. But it wasn’t just her sudden thirst, and her body had changed too. For one, she popped her bones back into place, and her possible internal injuries were nowhere to be found. But what amazed the girl the most was her body changing externally. 

Her skin grew paler, for her small melanin was now gone. Her arms felt and looked much more tone, and not to mention her lower body. Seungwan couldn’t help but flex in front of the mirror in her birthday suit. Who or what was she at this point? 

“You’re one of us, of course,” A voice called out, startling her from her gaze. Wendy jumped from her place, looking around the bathroom for anyone else, but it was only her. “Don’t look over there, silly. Look in the mirror.” With a shaky breath, she turned her head slowly to see herself standing in front of the mirror. And no, she didn’t mean her reflection, but there was another Seungwan standing in front of her, with a sly smirk, standing so confidently. 

“Like what you see? We make a great team, I must say. I was worried about our safety.” Her reflection spoke again as the real Seungwan stood up to meet herself. She wiped the mirror right to left, trying to wake herself up but only caused her other self to chuckle. “You’re in shock. I understand that, so please, let me do the talking.” 

Seungwan pinched her skin, but the reflection wouldn’t go away. She continued to look at herself, and everything was the same except for her hair. “Your hair...it’s different,” Seungwan mumbled, pointing at herself. 

“You mean the new look? Don’t you like it? I must say, I never imagined us in this color, but it does fit us well.” She said, pulling strands of her blonde hair down, “Oh, but don’t worry. You’ll get there sooner or later. Overnight, it should change, though make sure to tell others it’s just dye. Don’t think they’d react well if you told them you aren’t even entirely human anymore.” 

“What?” Seungwan asked suddenly. “What do you mean by that? W-What's happening to me?” 

“Oh, spoiler alert! How can I explain it humanly? You have gained new powers?” She questioned, placing a finger over her mouth as she thought. 

“Like a superhero?” Seungwan asked. 

“Oh, dear god, no. Think of us as hybrids.” She replied as Seungwan furrowed her brows, tilting her head. 

“So, what does that mean for me?” Seungwan asked. 

“Well, I’m not entirely sure. Perhaps to you, we can be stronger beyond human capability. Smarter for sure. You know what they say, two heads are better than one.” 

“So, are you someone else? Are you even real?” 

“Physically, no, but to you, I am as real as any person. Your thoughts, feelings, and concerns are mine too. But think of me as just another you. Think of me as an alternate ego. Seungwan, I’m everything you desire to be, and if I’m alive with you, I can give you everything you need. I’m your second opinion.” 

Seungwan placed her hand over the sink, noticing the missing piece that she broke by accident. “Are you the one giving me more strength? How long have you been in me?” 

“Well, if I recall correctly, I’ve been developing since the day the sick man assaulted you. I may have been born a few days ago, but I know and feel everything.” 

“So, you were with me on the day of the accident?” 

“Who do you think got you up from the street? Not to mention fixing your internal bleeding and telling you to pop your bones back in place or help you kill that man. I am a necessity in your life now, Seungwan.” 

Seungwan blinked a few times, trying to wrap her head around the idea of an alternate ego. Did she even have one from the start? She shook her head as she grabbed her towel around her body, swinging the door open only to be startled by her mother. 

“Seungwan? What’re you doing up so early? Are you feeling better? Did he wake you up? Is he here?” Her mother rambled as Seungwan stood there in place, completely forgetting about her bloody clothes. She closes the door slightly on her mother. 

“Are you alright?” 

“Yes, I just forgot I still have to brush my teeth. Can you give me a moment to get ready? I swear I’ll answer any questions you have once I’m done.” She rambled as her mother eyed her suspiciously, leaving to the living room. Seungwan closed the door quickly as she gathered her dirty pajamas, bundling them under her towel as she ran off to her room. Her eyes searched around her room for any old bag to put her clothing. She knew it had to go. Otherwise, the scent would penetrate most of the apartment. Quickly, she hid her clothes into a small bag, rushing to her wardrobe. 

Seungwan looked around her room for a piece of paper and an empty envelope to keep the money in before stepping out. All she needed now was a perfect excuse to tell her mother. Murder aside, she cared for the older woman dearly. At the very least, she deserved a happy ending too. Seungwan placed the pen in her non-dominant hand, making sure her mother wouldn’t recognize her writing. Luckily for her, it was nearly identical, or so she told herself. Truth be told, she never knew what her mother’s boyfriend’s writing looked like. She was only guessing everything about him. Finally, she stored the money in the envelope, placing the note in there too. Now the only thing left to do was to get rid of her clothes and any evidence connecting them, but she had to face her mother before anything. Shoving the envelope in her pocket, Seungwan held the bag close to her body, walking over to her mother, who sat on the floor watching the morning news. The older woman turned her head, spotting the bag to Seungwan’s side. 

“Where are you going? It’s only six in the morning.” She asked, eyeing her bag then meeting Seungwan’s confused look. 

“Well, I was going to step out to get some fresh air. I’ve been stuck in my room for days, and I just want to walk around the park.” Seungwan explained as her mother furrowed her brows, standing up to bring her into a hug. It had nearly sent her into a panic state, afraid that her mother might smell the blood but perhaps it was just her that smelled it so strongly. Once her mother let go, she placed her hands on both sides of her face, staring deeply. 

“Your dad would be proud of you, and you know that?” Her mother spoke, catching Seungwan off guard. It had been years since she had mentioned her father, ever since she began to date Seungwan’s new victim. The young daughter smiled, leaning against her mother’s warm hands, kissing them lightly. 

“That’s because you raised me well,” Seungwan answered as she pushed her mother’s hands away, smiling widely, pulling them into another hug before she walked away. 

Finally, she was alone with herself, and maybe the other version too. Still not sure if she was entirely legitimate. Seungwan ran to nearby stores to buy lighter fluid and perhaps new pajamas seeing as her clothes somehow keep bathing in blood. How did she come across this path in life? It was still up for debate whether it was a blessing or a curse. It was strange indeed, having your alternate ego speak to her as if they were two in one body. 

* * *

After burning the remainder of her evidence, Seungwan made her way back home, stopping her tracks at the front door. Her hand gripped the envelope, unsure how she’d manage to lie to her mother for her wellbeing. With one last sigh, she stepped into the home, spotting her mother cooking for them, setting the third plate for her lover. 

“It was necessary.” Of course, a voice reminded her that voice wasn’t her conscious but the other Seungwan speaking. Seungwan calmed her nerves as she walked into the kitchen, gripping the money tighter than before. 

“Mom, I think this is for you,” She spoke up, catching the older woman’s attention, cleaning her hands on her apron before grabbing the envelope. 

“Where did you get this?” Her mother asked. 

“It was at the front door. Didn’t you see it?” Seungwan lied as she watched her mother open the envelope, gasping a bit before turning to her daughter. 

“There’s money in here and a note?” She questioned, pulling out the folded piece of paper, setting the money aside as she read the note. Seungwan watched her mother’s reaction, her eyes becoming glossy as she continued to read before bursting out into tears. The young girl’s heart shattered at sight, but she understood her mother’s pain. The feeling as if a part of you were torn and crushed on the spot. Maybe her mother was aware of how toxic her relationship was, but that didn’t mean her attachment to her lover would just disappear out of nowhere. They were addicted to each other’s toxic manner, thinking this was the language of love. 

The older woman clung to her daughter, trying to keep her balance as she cried. Seungwan held her mother in place, pulling her up to a hug. One that perhaps that would be tender enough to calm her aching heart. 

“What’s wrong, mom?” Seungwan asked, hearing the sobs of her mother grow louder. All her mother could do is pull away, handing over the letter she wrote. Seungwan was fully aware of the letter’s words but reading it to herself with her mother was such a relief. 

_**I know writing a letter may not change everything we’ve done together, but I think we should part ways. I’m tired of fighting, and I’m sure you are too. The least I can do for you is give back your money. I’m sorry for everything.** _

Seungwan looked down at the paper, a blank stare. Rereading her note makes her laugh a bit as if that jerk would ever be decent enough to write a letter to apologize. Deep down, she was aware of his true personality during his final moments. If her mother weren’t going to rip off the band-aid, then she would do it for them. 

“Oh, mom, I’m so sorry,” She buried her head into her mother’s neck, holding her tight, “You’ll get through this. You always do. You are much stronger than you know. Remember, after every storm, there is a rainbow,” She cooed. 

Eventually, her mother calmed down, relieving Seungwan the most. Her daughter helped her sit down to eat. Feeling a bit of guilt for letting the food get cold, her mother apologized, causing Seungwan to shake her head. She thanked her mother for the food, filling her mouth as the older woman chuckled lightly. The young girl rambled on and on, trying to cheer up her mother. 

“I’m thinking of dying my hair blonde. Do you think it’ll look good?” Seungwan asked. 

“Are you trying to go for a vampire look?” Her mother joked as Seungwan laughed at her. 

“Well, I was thinking more like Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle, but that works too.” She chuckled, finishing up her meal. Seungwan gathered the dishes to wash, stopping her mother from over-stressing herself any further. 

“School is going to start soon. Do you plan on meeting up with friends to help you dye your hair?” Her mother asked, causing Seungwan to stop for a moment. If she were honest, she completely forgot school existed. All the rage and hurt still inside her, how could she avoid the people who left her for dead. 

“No, I’m going to dye it on my own.” She answered as she proceeded to wash the dishes. 

“Well, do you still hang out with your friends? You know, the ones you kept going out with during the summer.” Seungwan knew her mother was just curious and maybe concerned, but this was no time for answering questions such as those. She couldn’t even stand the thought of them. 

“No, mom. They were just acquaintances,” She mumbled as she finished up to turn to her mother, “Besides, it’s just high school.” 

Her mother nodded slowly, aware that perhaps it was a bit sensitive for her. The older woman stood up as she thanks Seungwan before leaving. Seungwan sighed in defeat, shuffling her feet to her room. Throwing her tired body against her bed, she wondered if she should even have a backup plan. 

“Why worry so much?” Her other self-asked as Seungwan turned to see her reflection on a small mirror. 

“How do I even face someone who nearly killed me? I mean, she did try getting help-” 

“Seungwan, if someone truly cared about their best friend, they wouldn't have considered their reputation more than your life. They’re not the people you need. I’m sure you are aware of it.” 

“Then what do I do?” Seungwan asked as she walked over to her mirror, staring at the other girl. 

“Revenge is best served cold. Killing them would be too easy. I mean, we didn’t struggle with your mother’s boyfriend.” Replied her reflection.

“What should we do then?” Seungwan asked, softening her expressions. 

“The truth will come out one way or another. People who keep secrets usually crumble. I mean, you heard how worried they were about going to the police. Let’s just watch them panic that a dead girl is walking around.” 

“I suppose we can wait it out for now, but if we’re becoming some type of weird duo, we need names. We can’t both be the same person,” Seungwan said. 

“Simple, you stay as Seungwan, and I’ll be Wendy.” Wendy clarified as if Seungwan didn’t look or sound crazy already by talking to her reflection. Seungwan nodded her head, biting her lower lip. 

“Great, so we’re set for school. We’ll be ready to go back in two weeks...” Seungwan mumbled, sitting on her bed again. 

“You’re worried about one other person,” Wendy added as Seungwan looked back at her. 

“She’s ruined me before. What if she manages to do it again?” Seungwan asked in a frantic state. 

“Seungwan, relax. We won’t let it repeat. We aren’t the same as before,” Wendy reassured her other half. Seungwan sighed as she laid back on her bed. Her fear for the girls was irrational. Just look at Seungwan. She had been through hell. They’re the ones who should be trembling in fear for Son Seungwan. She was a fearless girl, ready to tackle every situation. 

* * *

Remember when Seungwan told herself that she was a fearless girl? Perhaps that was an overstatement because today she would enter school, and to her dismay, she woke up late. Tripping over her own two feet, she rummaged around the room for her school uniform. She rushed through everything that she’d usually do at her own pace. Breakfast was no exception as her mother watched her daughter devour her food like some maniac. 

“Have a good day!” Her mother called out as she watched Seungwan run out the door. Naturally, Seungwan would take a while to run to the bus stop, but somehow, she managed to get there faster than expected. All that was left was for the bus to come, which caused Seungwan to lose her mind at how slow it was taking. Once it had arrived, she scanned her pass quickly, taking her seat as she bit her nail anxiously. 

Finally, Seungwan arrived around the corner of her school, running uphill to reach the class. Sprinting as if her life depended on it, Seungwan cut through the line of students who carelessly walked to their classes. 

“Hey! No running in the hall!” Yelled out one of the faculties who didn’t recognize Seungwan. 

“Sorry!” She yelled back but remaining her running pace until she reached the door of her classroom. Seungwan calmed her beating heart as she fixed her hair and uniform as the teacher announced her name from behind the door. 

“I’m here. I’m so sorry,” Seungwan barged in as her teacher raised a brow. 

“Ms. Son Seungwan?” She asked. 

“That’s me,” Seungwan replied with a smile on her face looking around the room to meet Sooyoung’s frightened stare. Seungwan tilted her head curiously as she looked at the girl’s miserable state. Did running over Seungwan ruin her so much? Before she could ask any more questions, the teacher instructed her to sit in the only empty seat that happened to be next to Sooyoung. What a coincidence. The shorter girl took her seat, feeling eyes staring into her soul that so happened to belong to Sooyoung’s. Seungwan turned to her side, spotting the taller girl’s eyes swell up with tears threatening to fall. Should she even say anything? Or just pretend like they were meeting for the first time. Starting new wouldn't hurt her, nor them. A small greeting never hurt anyone. Seungwan smiled as Sooyoung turned her head quickly. 

“Hope we can get along, Sooyoung,” Seungwan whispered enough for her former friend to hear. 

How should someone react to their former, dead friend walking around the school as if it were nothing? Sooyoung often had to pinch her arm to know this wasn’t a nightmare. Seungwan was, in fact, alive and completely intact. Did she just have a nightmare about running over the girl, or was this real? Often when Seungwan looked away from Sooyoung, she would peek over the analyze the girl. The melanin skin that once belonged to her was gone, along with the brunette hair she had. Was this the equivalence to a teen rebelling by changing their hair? Before she could think any further, the bell rang, causing the students to gather their items and leave the classroom with excitement. Sooyoung quickly picked up her bag, trying to catch up to Seungwan, but before she could even grab the girl, Seungwan had disappeared in the sea of students. 

Sooyoung grabbed her phone from her bag, texting the group chat in a rush. 

**_She’s alive._ **


	3. The girl of my nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reality or another hallucination? Sooyoung nor Seungwan can tell what is the simple truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lowkey a sad short chapter. Also, I apologize for any mistakes in advanced ^^' Enjoy!

Grief was a weird thing to experience, but she just didn't know how to handle anything in Sooyoung's case. She knew tears would fall with no intention of stopping, but how does one redeem themselves when she was at fault? Many things were running through her head, and one of those things happen to be about Seungwan. Well, her new appearance, she should say. Except it doesn't stop her mind from constantly switching from past to present. Others may see Seungwan as alive and well, but all Sooyoung could imagine is her body broken and drenched in her blood. 

She shuts her eyes as she feels the pain in her stomach coming up. Since the accident, her level of stress has peaked. No amount of pills or remedies, or vacations could help her have peace of mind. Sooyoung was in hell. Before she could drown herself any longer, she felt an arm grasp her shoulders, startling her. 

"Hey, it's ok. It's me, Seulgi." Her friend whispered as Sooyoung opened her eyes. "I saw your text." She continued, eyeing the ends of the hallway. "Is she _here_?" 

Sooyoung tightened her grip on her school bag, nodding in response. "She doesn't look hurt, but she doesn't seem like herself either." 

Seulgi raised a brow, "What does that mean?" Sooyoung raised her hands in an attempt to explain, but no words could describe the site of Seungwan. Seeing the site of Sooyoung on the brink of a breakdown, Seulgi forced herself to stop asking questions. If Seungwan were truly here, then she'd have to see it to believe it. Sooyoung sighed deeply as she looked around the building. There was an urge of needing to be outside, anywhere that didn't have Seungwan nearby. She pushed herself forward, encouraging her friend to go to class and not worry about it. 

Rummaging through her bag, she grabs her phone and begins to dial her chauffeur. She sat outside, hoping no staff member would come over to yell at her for skipping school. There, she remained silent, shielding her eyes from the sunlight. It didn't take long before her driver had appeared in the school's driveway, stepping out to open the door for her. Sooyoung sighed, blankly staring at the vehicle. Once she was settled, she remained quiet, watching the nearby buildings disappear behind her. 

"Tough day, Ms. Park?" A voice asked but oddly seemed distant and unfamiliar. Sooyoung shrugged the feeling away. 

"Something like that," She replied as she noticed the unfamiliar buildings around her. Certainly, this wasn’t the way home. "Why are we heading this way?" Sooyoung asked anxiously, looking at the driver's unfamiliar face from the front mirror. It didn't take long for the driver to look back at her, smiling. 

"I'd buckle up if I were you. You never know when the ride might get bumpy." He happily spoke as he locked all doors, sending Sooyoung into a panic. 

Her hands immediately searched for the door handle, pulling with all her strength as if it would help her. Sooyoung begins to bang the window, crying out for help. "What do you want from me?! Money? I-I can arrange something. Please just stop this!" She pleaded as her tears streamed down, breaking down completely. Her hands covered her face, afraid of looking at her doom. Maybe this was a curse. Perhaps, Seungwan cursed her to relive her hell. She must deserve it. 

"What are you thinking, Sooyoung?" A familiar voice called out, causing her to turn her head immediately. If this situation was bad enough, seeing Seungwan at this moment was the last thing she ever wanted. "Come on. Tell me what you're thinking? Are you still upset about me?" Seungwan's innocent stare pierced through her heart as if it weren't shattered any further. But even in these moments, she couldn't help reaching out for her. To caress her cheek as she gave a bright smile, but that would be asking too much. The moment Sooyoung reached over, Seungwan's appearance had changed. Her clothes were now ripped with blood covering her entirely, though interestingly enough, Sooyoung continued to hold Seungwan. 

"I'm sorry…" She whispered, "I should have called for help and waited with you. I should have turned myself in and let myself rot." Her lips began to quiver, "God, I miss you so much. You are so close to me, yet you feel so far." 

"Sooyoung, if I suggested a way to redeem yourself, would you take it?" Seungwan's sweet voice cooed. 

"I'd do it in a heartbeat." And with her response, Seungwan disappeared from her touch. 

"Park Sooyoung," The driver called out, causing her to turn, "My name is Johnny, and I need your help." 

"Huh? You don't want my money?" She asked as she raised a brow. 

"Your money means nothing to me. Sooyoung, we need to talk about your friend." He looked over at Sooyoung. The friendliness of his eyes disappeared. 

"I-I don't know who you're talking about." She lied, causing him to laugh. 

"Sooyoung, we're past this already. Your hallucinations say otherwise. I practically know your thoughts." He stated, turning the steering wheel, traveling further into the unknown. "But on an important note, I think we should chat about Seungwan." 

Sooyoung's heart jumps at the mention. She holds herself in the lace of her seatbelt. "What about her?" Sooyoung whispers before the car comes to a sudden halt, noticing the car parked near a shady alleyway. 

"Well, Sooyoung. I think it's best to ask you this question first." He paused as he stared off into the distance. "Do you believe in vampires?" 

Sooyoung furrowed her brows, completely confused by the question. Surely, this was the weirdest prank she'd ever been in. Either someone would pop out to say they fooled her, or someone would murder her. She couldn't decide which was an easier route. 

"Like Dracula?" She asked, causing him to become happy with her answer. 

"Yes, something similar to that. Do you believe in them?" 

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think I ever really believed in it. How is this related to Seungwan?" Before she could get an answer, the driver stepped out of the car. Sooyoung observed his movement as he opened the door for her. Sooyoung carefully stepped out of the car as she looked over to see the alleyway. "Why are we here?" 

"Vampires, as far as fiction goes, had some truth to it. Being a vampire isn't about burning in the sun, hunting innocent people, or even remotely about being gothic literature." He explained, walking further into the alleyway. "Let me paint a picture for you, Sooyoung. Well, that is if you permit me." 

"I-I don't understand. How is this related to Seung-" 

"Will you permit me or not? Time is ticking, and I need an answer." He asked again. This time, she gulped and nodded her head. "Close your eyes for a moment while I tell you a tale of a dead man." As Sooyoung waited for him to continue, she heard a familiar voice angrily cry out. 

"You filthy pig!" A small figure cried out, pushing another into the alley. Sooyoung remained still at the sound of the pair arguing back and forth. Her eyes stayed shut until she felt the weight of someone push her aside. Once she opened her eyes, she saw the smaller girl hovering an older man's neck. Sooyoung didn't know what she was afraid of. The sight of a fictional creature desperately sucking the life out of someone or the fact that she recognized the attacker. 

She couldn't think nor move the slightest bit. The smaller figure stood up, Sooyoung braced herself to be attacked, but they did nothing to her surprise. Her stare was empty. As if the Seungwan she knew had disappeared, or perhaps she forced a certain image on Seungwan. Every day she just realizes that she was a terrible friend. 

"A dead man's memories can't hurt you." Her driver spoke up, standing next to her. 

"Is this another hallucination of yours?" 

"Afraid not. These are just the memories of Seungwan's victim. I knew you wouldn't trust me by word, but if you saw it yourself, it'd be convincing enough." 

"Seungwan is a vampire and a murderer? Has she been one this entire time?! I-I don't understand." She rambled, holding her head. Unable to comprehend, Johnny placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. 

"That's why I'm here to explain. Becoming a vampire is far more complicated. It isn't required to be bitten. There are many factors." He explained as they continued to watch the memories of Seungwan's victim. "Becoming a vampire is like a virus. Any vampire near humans can infect them by coughing, sneezing, kissing, biting, open wounds that didn't heal yet. You'd be surprised how many humans already carry the virus, but because their bodies are in good condition, they don't become vampires. But Seungwan's case it is different. Can you guess why?" 

Sooyoung sighed, brushed her hair back in frustration. "Is it because of the accident?" 

"Correct. The accident gave the virus an advantage to enter her body. Though the title, “virus,” seems frightening, think of it more as a symbiotic relationship. Our DNA works at a faster rate to repair, and in Seungwan's case. It worked its way through to repair every single injury. Have you noticed any changes?” 

“Well, her complexion is pale compared to before. Her hair is completely different too. It all just seems like a new style, but her injuries are completely healed. What exactly should I look for?” She whispered. 

“Newly infected people sometimes are aggressive. Their agility is improved tremendously, and sometimes they do develop new abilities like any vampire. In my case, the hallucinations I show are merely a person’s conscience. Seungwan may develop something different,” Johnny explained. 

"So what now? Will you get rid of her?" She hesitantly asked, looking into her driver's eyes. 

"No. I'm not here to kill Seungwan. My job is to offer a cure to become human." He raised his hand to snap the girl out of the hallucination. "I'm also here to help vampires assimilate with humans without any issue, though we have had cases of humans becoming hybrids. Seungwan can be cured as long as she refuses to go on a killing spree. Unfortunately, that's unlikely. Most hybrids tend to be unstable, especially in stressful times. Any resentment they have maybe a reason to lash out and kill." 

Sooyoung chuckled bitterly at the mention. If Seungwan were going on a spree, she had every reason to kill Sooyoung. "So, what do you want from me?" 

"I need you to give me any information about her. Something tells me she'll go after anyone who aggravates her. And well, if I can't catch her on time, then the world might fall apart." Johnny smiled as he looked at Sooyoung. "Or at least that's just a theory. Though my point still stands. Sooyoung, I need you to watch over her. If she gets too out of control and infects someone else…" 

"What will you do if she does manage to infect someone else?" She asked, afraid of the answer he'll give. 

"Then the decision of keeping Seungwan alive will be up to someone else. I'm afraid he isn't as forgiving as I. If there's any reason you must tell Seungwan about her secret, it must be within a reasonable moment." Johnny explained, walking back to the car, opening Sooyoung's door as she follows. "Please be cautious when handling a person like Seungwan. Anyone who provokes her will end up killed or at the very least hurt badly." Sooyoung sat inside the car, looking up to the taller boy's eyes as he slowly closed the door. 

"Good luck, Park Sooyoung." He closed the door then tapping the roof of the car. Sooyoung furrowed her brows, unable to understand where he was going, but before she could say anything, the car began to move away from the alley. Whipping her head quickly, Sooyoung recognized her former driver. Was this all a hallucination from the start? 

\-- 

While Sooyoung had gone home, Seungwan was stuck in her hell. It wasn’t just the idea of meeting her former friends but rather the stares she'd get. A part of her just couldn't tell if it meant well or not. Nonetheless, she shook away the stares as she entered her last class of the day. At the very least, she was glad to have a short schedule to avoid further confrontation but having PE as her last class wasn't ideal. 

"Son Seungwan?" Her teacher called out as they began to stretch out in the courtyard. Seungwan stated her presence as they continued to move around. From her childhood, she was never an athletic person, but perhaps things would change now. Her class began to run around a few laps before rounding up. And to her surprise, not a single puff of air came out of her. Perhaps turning into whatever she was, did help her out. Before she could praise her endurance any further, she heard the sound of a whistle, gaining her full attention. 

“Gather round!” Yelled her teacher, “Today, we’ll briefly learn the rules of Lacrosse, and then we’ll start a few games. And please don’t smack each other with the sticks.” 

Before Seungwan knew it, she was handed a red jersey and her gear. Running out into the field as her class learned how to catch and throw oddly made her happy. Maybe this school year would be different. No more drama between friends. Perhaps she didn’t even need to have her revenge after all. As their group advanced, Seungwan found herself becoming fond of the activity. The adrenaline of reaching for the ball, running, and simply scoring was so new to her. Did she see the appeal to sports? Before she could enjoy it any further, Seungwan’s class was quickly dismissed. With a smile on her face, she ran to the locker room by herself. There was a strange feeling that was starting to bubble in her stomach. It wasn’t fear but perhaps genuine happiness. The smile on her face just refused to go away, and the need to burst out laughing. Seungwan was happy. That’s the feeling. Happiness was finally here to heal her wounds. 

Once the bell had rung, Seungwan quickly took her sweats and put on her uniform again. Before closing her locker, she stared into the reflection of her small mirror. Her new changes, whether it was physical or even emotional, felt good. Giving one final glance, she smiled again and shut the locker as she headed out. If there weren't so many people around her, Seungwan would have happily skipped down the halls. It wasn’t until Seungwan bumped another student in the middle of the hall, causing both of them to drop their bags, spilling their books. 

“I-I’m sorry,” She rambled as she scrambled around the floor to gather the student's books first. Once she gathered all her things, Seungwan finally faced the stranger in front of her. Her breath hitched as her heart began to beat at a faster pace. 

“Nice to see you again, Seungwan,” Joohyun replied with a smile on her face as they began to stand up. “You look different. New style, huh? Trying to impress someone?” She asked, slightly tilting her head as Seungwan remained silent with a blank look. “Saw you were running around PE. I must say I never knew you were quite the athlete. Maybe we should have a match against your class-” 

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I know who you are.” Seungwan stated, “You see, I had an accident over the summer. I can’t seem to remember anyone.” Joohyun raised a brow as she gave a sympathetic smile. Before she tried to speak up, Seungwan gathered her items and excused herself to class, leaving Joohyun speechless. 

Seungwan’s body began to tremble as her heart no longer wanted to jump out of happiness, rather sink into the abyss of her body. There are secrets Seungwan never told anyone. And one of those secrets revolved around Joohyun’s abuse against her. 

_Seungwan may have most of the girls trembling except for_ _Joohyun_ _. She was so eager to talk to Seungwan herself, but not with the other girls. After all, they had unfinished business that had to be settled._ _Joohyun_ _was a reserved type of person, the kind that spoke to people who she felt comfortable around, but that didn’t mean she kept quiet. Seungwan was fully aware of her personality._

_The moment Seungwan grew closer to the group,_ _Joohyun_ _made it clear that she didn’t like nor trust her. Of course, she kept it hidden from the rest. It had begun over a small get-together when the two were left alone. No matter how much Seungwan tried to engage in conversation with the older brunette, the feeling was never mutual. It baffled the younger girl as to why she was never liked. She had always tried her best to get along with everyone, but_ _Joohyun_ _never seemed to be fond of the idea. It wasn’t until the group had gone shopping, leaving both girls together. Seungwan swayed her foot left to right nervously. Quietly, they waited for the girls to look around the store._

_“Not much of a shopper?” Seungwan asked, tilting her head to_ _Joohyun_ _. As much as she hoped for a response, the older girl remained quiet, pretending that the other girl didn’t even exist._ _Joohyun’s_ _silence didn’t come as a surprise. She expected this. A small sigh escaped from her mouth as she looked at the older girl again. “I know you aren’t very fond of me, but why? What did I do to deserve this?”_

_Finally,_ _Joohyun_ _blinked and turned to face_ _Seunwan’s_ _hurt expression. “Do you need an explanation?”_

_“Please. I want to understand what I did wrong.”_

_Joohyun_ _bitterly chuckled, turning her full attention to Seungwan, “Do you think I’m foolish enough to not see through you? It’s almost_ _cliche_ _. You know, the poor girl who befriends the rich girl to get a taste of something she probably won’t ever reach.”_

_Seungwan furrowed her brows with her mouth agape at the accusation. “You think I’m a scammer? I would never-”_

_“Save the pity party for someone else. I mean, I get why you do it. You must be so unfortunate, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let this go. I’ve seen enough people come and go with the same intention. But I suppose, for now, you’ll be fed with the crumbs_ _Sooyoung_ _gives you. You'll know where you belong sooner or later."_

_Seungwan stared at the older girl, clenching her jaw. "I don't exactly know where you're coming from, but I'll prove to you that I'm not some leech feeding off_ _Sooyoung_ _. I genuinely like being here, and I won't be intimidated by you. I'll prove you wrong."_

_"Well, let's see how long you'll endure this, Seungwan. At the very least, I'm honest with you. You'll realize this soon,"_ _Joohyun_ _replied, looking into the young girl's glossy eyes before_ _Sooyoung_ _called out their names. Both girls moved their gaze to_ _Sooyoung,_ _who practically skipped her way to them._

_"Why the long face guys? We're shopping! Come on, let's have fun!" She wrapped her arms around their shoulders, bringing them closer to her. The taller girl eventually pulled away, looking at Seungwan, "If there's anything you like, don't hesitate to tell me."_

_The smaller girl smiled in response, though deep down, she could see_ _Joohyun's_ _point. She hated how it seemed like she was just feeding off_ _Sooyoung's_ _kindness. "I appreciate it,_ _Sooyoung,_ _but you don't have to."_

_"Nonsense! Everything of mine is yours too." She spoke softly, holding her hand with a toothy smile on her face, causing her to forget the reason why she was even upset in the first place. Of course, that would end the moment Seungwan looked over at_ _Joohyun's_ _stare. It was at that moment something in_ _Joohyun's_ _mind grew twisted and bitter. If Seungwan wouldn't learn now, then she needed to be taught. Every chance she had, her goal was to single out Seungwan, to make her see what she truly meant from the start._

_Seungwan, on the other hand, tried her best to push away her attempts to isolate her from the groups. Of course,_ _Joohyun_ _wasn't sloppy with her methods. Occasionally,_ _Joohyun_ _would invite the girls on vacation to a private island when the weather was perfect. It was in her best intentions to make Seungwan realize that_ _Sooyoung_ _wasn’t the friend she thought she was. It didn’t take much effort to destroy Seungwan. It was the other girls who contributed without thinking._

_“What about Seungwan?”_ _Yeri_ _would ask, putting her older friend on the spot. The older girl knew_ _Joohyun’s_ _intentions, and she hated to admit it was working. Apart of her wanted to burst out crying like a child who desired to have the pretty toys others had._

_“Guys, it’s fine. Go without me. I was planning to study anyway.” She lied as the girls shrugged their shoulders, looking at each other. They began to plan out their vacation while Seungwan remained behind, hearing everything that was out of her reach. She tried to shake away the thoughts of_ _Joohyun_ _proving her point, but it was starting to become harder._ _The more the girls hung out during summer, the worse things became for her. Not because o_ _f_ _Joohyun_ _, but because things were starting to change for her. Any time they were left alone, J_ _oohyun_ _would whisper into her ear._

_“_ _Sooyoung_ _wouldn’t care if you just stopped showing up. I doubt anyone would notice.” Seungwan clenched her jaw as she looked into the older girl’_ _s_ _eyes._

_“_ _Sooyoung_ _isn’t like that.”_

_“No? Don’t friends ask about the other’s personal life? Is having basic communications not required? Hmm, I don’t know about you, but I certainly get asked.”_

_She hated to admit the flaws in their relationship. No one ever bothered to ask what her life was like outside of school. Then again, it’s not like they’d understand her life. She hated how_ _Joohyun_ _occasionally was right. But_ _Sooyoung_ _cared about her_ _,_ _right? No one would go out of their ways to get close to her the way_ _Sooyoung_ _did, right? If hearing constant flaws from_ _Joohyun_ _wasn’t enough, then it was Seungwan’s slow realization that made her grow bitter. Sometimes the girl didn’t have to be present to torture her. But things began to calm down whenever_ _Sooyoung_ _and Seungwan hung out alone. It was like all of her words would just disappear the moment they were left alone. One day,_ _Sooyoung_ _asked Seungwan to be her plus one for her parents’ business party._

_“Be my date for the party?” She asked with her brow quirked up._

_“Me?” Seungwan asked in disbelief._

_“No, I’m asking myself. Of course, I’m asking you, Seungwan.”_

_Seungwan smiled as she slapped_ _Sooyoung’s_ _arm lightly._

_“I’d love to, but I don’t have any fancy clothes for it-”_

_“Say no more, Seungwan. I planned out everything with a little help.” Seungwan’s mouth twitched a bit at the mention of help. She hoped it wasn’t_ _Joohyun_ _behind this too. “Look, I got a dress for you. Just meet me here next Saturday, and I’ll take care of the rest.” There was a sparkle in_ _Sooyoung’s_ _eyes that Seungwan loved the most. It was so hypnotizing, nearly impossible to deny. All she could do was nod and hold_ _Sooyoung’s_ _tight embrace. This was it, right? This had to be the end of_ _Joohyun’s_ _terror against her._

_By next week, Seungwan rushed herself to_ _Sooyoung’s_ _house, excited yet terrified of the outcome. Her hands never seemed to stop sweating, nor did she ever stop fidgeting. But there were times where she calmed down as she watched_ _Sooyoung_ _fix her makeup delicately as if she were to break Seungwan if she pressed too hard. Once she was done,_ _Sooyoung_ _guided the girl into a separate room to change her clothes. Seungwan neatly placed her items on the side as she began to unzip the bag in front of her. Slowly, she placed the dress on her body, fingers feeling the soft, white texture until she reached to her shoulder. Seungwan eyed herself carefully, admiring the clothing. At this point, the party had been forgotten due to the dress's beauty._

_“Seungwan? We don’t have all day. Are you done already?”_ _Sooyoung_ _shouted, startling her. Shyly, she opened the door, spotting_ _Sooyoung_ _standing aside._

_“So?” Seungwan asked, standing awkwardly in front of her taller friend._

_“Wow.”_

_“What? Does it look bad?” Seungwan asked in a low tone._

_“No, you look amazing.” She stated as she placed her hands on her hips to admire more,_ _“I’m so great at this. I guess the lady at the store was right.”_

_“That was your little help?”_

_“Yeah, I mean_ _Joohyun_ _joined me to buy some clothes too, but don’t be fooled! I did this all for my precious Seungwan,” She spoke, cupping_ _Seungwan’s_ _face with a wide smile before heading to her room again. They remained until_ _Sooyoung_ _was done preparing, waiting for other guests to come along. Once the party had begun,_ _Sooyoung_ _dragged Seungwan to her backyard towards their friends as they looked at her in awe._

_“Wow,”_ _Yeri_ _commented._

_“I said the same thing!”_ _Sooyoung_ _happily cheered._

_“You look lovely, Seungwan.”_ _Seulgi_ _calmly spoke with a look of admiration in her eyes._

_“Careful, Seungwan. You’re going to break some hearts if you continue any longer.”_ _Yeri_ _jokingly commented. “_ _Sooyoung_ _sure does have an eye for this, huh?”_

_“Of course, I can always find a hidden gem.” Seungwan blushed as she laughed nervously. She began to look around, seeing no sight of_ _Joohyun_ _anywhere. Did she finally give up? But it was as if_ _Sooyoung_ _had read her mind, asking for_ _Joohyun’s_ _whereabouts._

_“She said she’d come a bit late. I’m quite excited to see what she_ _’ll_ _wear_ _. It’s not a party until she comes in with something to top the rest.”_

_Seungwan felt herself gulp nervously at the mention of the older girl. All she could do is hope that_ _Joohyun_ _would just let her rest for a day. Though as if it were some miracle,_ _Joohyun_ _hadn’t come for a while. It had been nearly a few hours, yet not a sign of her. Seungwan felt bad for feeling relieved, but could she be blamed? But just as Seungwan turned to look around, she felt someone bump into her, watching the red wine spill right into her dress. Her friends gasped at the sight, but before they could say anything, an older man came over to whisper into_ _Sooyoung’s_ _ear._ _The three_ _girls were separated from Seungwan as she assured them she’d go clean herself up. She huffed as she eyed the person who bumped into her, causing him to grow nervous under her gaze. She moved away from the crowd and into the home._

_Seungwan looked around the empty home, assuming most of the workers were outside or taking a break. Perhaps someone was working in the kitchen and could guide her to a nearby restroom. She began to walk towards the kitchen until she stopped herself at the sound of two women laughing._

_“I can’t believe our girls are growing up so fast. It feels as if_ _Sooyoung_ _and_ _Joohyun_ _had barely met at school. Say, who’s the person_ _Sooyoung_ _brought?”_

_“The girl with the white dress?”_

_“Yes, her. Is_ _Sooyoung_ _endorsing something or sponsoring her?”_

_“I’m not sure what their relationship is, but they’re classmates. Why do you ask?”_

_“Well,_ _Joohyun_ _often speaks about_ _Sooyoung_ _helping out a new friend. She got into the school with a scholarship but could barely afford anything else. I heard_ _Sooyoung_ _bought her things she needs for school._ _Sooyoung_ _bought the poor girl her first phone.”_

_“Really? I didn’t know that. I don’t think she ever mentioned it.”_

_“Perhaps she doesn’t want to embarrass the girl.”_

_Seungwan stood still as each word echoed in her head. Seungwan the charity case? Surely, it wasn’t true. Others may see that_ _Joohyun_ _could lie all she wants, but at least_ _Sooyoung_ _knew she wasn’t a charity case, right? Seungwan wiped away her tears carefully, afraid of ruining her makeup. Before she could walk towards_ _Sooyoung’s_ _room, she bumped into a nearby table catching the women's attention in the kitchen. Seungwan shut her eyes, cursing under her breath. Wanting to avoid any other attention, she hid away as the women searched for whoever bumped into the table. Thankfully, they brushed it off as they headed outside with their drinks. She peeked around one last time before running off to_ _Sooyoung_ _’s_ _room._

_Once, she was inside. She began to unzip her dress cautiously, afraid of staining anything else. When she began to change, she heard a microphone being tapped through speakers. Seungwan placed her clothing on before she tried to reach for her shoes. But before she could do anything_ _, she_ _peeked over at_ _Sooyoung’s_ _balcony. She spotted_ _Sooyoung’s_ _father holding a drink in his hand as the girls stood beside him with the spotlight centered on them._

_“I’d like to make a toast. I’m very thankful for our company’s employees, sponsors, and our dearest friends. If it weren’t for our daughters coming together, we would have never come this far.” He happily spoke, turning to look at the girls on stage, spotting_ _Joohyun_ _standing beside them. “Does anyone else want to say anything?”_

_Sooyoung_ _stepped up with a drink in her hand, wearing a bright smile on her face. “I’d like to toast to the newest member in our group,” She paused, raising her cup, causing Seungwan's heart to race. Was she going to introduce her this way? Seungwan held her blushing cheeks, waiting for_ _Sooyoung_ _to continue. “I want to thank the Kim Family for investing in our company too! If it weren’t for their daughter helping me out in class, who knows how lost the company and myself would have been.” The crowd laughed at_ _Sooyoung’s_ _jokes, raising their cups in the air. Seungwan’s hands fell to her side, feeling as if the life were sucked out of her. Of course, the only person who spotted Seungwan on the balcony was_ _Joohyun_ _. She didn’t need to look any closer to knowing she was laughing at her._

_Seungwan turned around to put on her shoes, grabbing the dress as well, and headed out. All she wanted was to be left alone. To be swallowed by the earth and to never appear again. Son Seungwan didn’t belong with them. She was nothing more than an exotic animal for the rich to show off then neglect when they grew tired. There wasn’t any place to belong. No one would want her._

_After that night, Seungwan began to feel something she never felt. She wasn’t sure if it was hate. Certainly, she wasn’t one to hate anyone, but maybe this was her exception. Taking_ _this out of_ _Sooyoung_ _would be irrational if she tried to contact her after she left. But she didn't even send a text, nor a goodnight text. Seungwan felt dead inside. But that didn’t stop herself from hanging out with_ _Sooyoung_ _and the rest. She hoped that she could forgive the girl and move on, but she only grew bitter._

_It wasn’t until_ _Sooyoung_ _asked Seungwan to hangout. There she tried to speak with the older girl, but nothing seemed to budge. Instead, she kept herself away from the girls on the balcony, drinking the juice the girls’ bought. Looking at the dark sky, Seungwan began to enjoy this empty silence. Unfortunately, her time was interrupted when_ _Joohyun_ _leaned against the balcony with her._

_“I’m shocked that you’re still forcing yourself to come. It was like it was in this spot that you realized how foolish your little dream was.” The older girl spoke, taking a sip of her drink as Seungwan remained silent. “So you’re giving me the silent treatment too?”_

_The smaller girl sighed as she turned to look at_ _Joohyun. She_ _huffed, “You know I tried my best with you. I did. I even went out of my way to understand your perspective, but I only realized one thing.”_

_“And what’s that?”_

_“All of this harassment is because you can’t handle someone else getting all of_ _Sooyoung’s_ _attention. Maybe in your mind, you think you did something right by taking out someone toxic, but you don’t even realize your own mistakes. I don’t know if I should hate or pity someone like you. Mature on the outside, but the opposite_ _is_ _-” Seungwan was cut off as_ _Joohyun_ _threw her glass cup on the floor as the shattered glass scattered around._

_Seungwan looked back at the girls who looked for the source of the noise. Quickly, she crouched down to pick up the large pieces of glass._

_“What is wrong with you? Stop acting like a child- '' Seungwan was interrupted again as_ _Joohyun’s_ _foot pressed her hand against the sharp glass. Feeling the piercing glass cut through her skin, she muffled her cries, afraid of even screaming for help._

_“If I’m childish, then so are you. You were delusional enough to think_ _Sooyoung_ _cared about you. At the very least, I warned you multiple times to stay away but look at us now. If you don’t understand verbally, then you’ll understand from this.”_

_“Y-You’re a psycho,” Seungwan stuttered as she held in her cries._

_“Perhaps. I suppose you can try to tell_ _Sooyoung_ _, but who do you think she’ll believe? A girl who’s been hurting her for weeks by ghosting or her best friend, who’s spent years comforting her. You have no place here, Seungwan. Just call it quits while you can. You could at least do this for yourself.”_ _Joohyun_ _released her foot, grabbing Seungwan’s cup, and ran to_ _Sooyoung_ _in a panic. And well, the rest is history._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm alive and well. I hope you all are doing well too by taking care of yourself physically and mentally. I apologize for not updating, shifting to online school has taken up my time. But worry not! New Chapter shall come up soon. I will bless thee with a double update :D 
> 
> As always, Thank you for reading the fanfic and feel free to comment!


	4. There's no "I" in team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sooyoung needs a spy while Seulgi needs redemption. Together, at last, they might have a chance to get closer to Seungwan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit of a filler but it'll make sense in the future. I tried my best to edit, so sorry if there is any grammatical errors!

While Seungwan wished for this dreadful day to end, Sooyoung was on the verge of insanity too. Many thoughts didn't make sense. If Seungwan were possibly a vampire, How could she prove it? For all she knows, Johnny could have drugged her without her knowing. But then again, wouldn't she be required to touch something to imagine Seungwan devouring a man physically. More importantly, who even was the man? She shakes her head as she turns to her alarm on her desk. School should be over by now. 

If she needed more information, who exactly would Sooyoung rely on? Yeri practically refuses ever to mention Seungwan and Joohyun--well, definitely not an option. Ever since the accident, Joohyun seemed to be the only person who wasn't bothered. Either she was good at hiding her emotions, or Seungwan's accident wasn't worth the thought. It wasn't just her lack of sympathy but how cold she became. Any mention of Seungwan caused her to shift uncomfortably as if the name itself were a curse. Why was her former friend such a curse for her? 

Again, she eliminates her options as she finally realizes the perfect person for the job. And if it were a sign from the heavens, Sooyoung's phone buzzes. She quickly answers her phone, hearing Seulgi's voice on the other line. 

"Hey," she answered as Seulgi greeted her too. "How are you feeling?" The older girl asks. 

Sooyoung huffs, bringing her knees to her chest. "Could be better. How about you? Did you see her…?" 

Seulgi sighs, "Yeah, actually. She's in one of my classes, but she never looked at me. Either she refuses to acknowledge me or genuinely didn't notice me." She explains with a bit of a disappointed tone. "I understand what you mean, though. You know, the whole attire and I guess the vibe she gives off. It feels like a stranger." 

"Yeah, I noticed it too. Which class are you guys together?" Sooyoung casually questioned. 

"PE. Why do you ask?" 

Sooyoung gave a low hum as a response, "Just wondering. Did you notice anything weird while you were there?" 

Seulgi remained quiet, trying to recall her class. "Well, now that you mention it. She's suddenly athletic. Or maybe she was athletic this entire time, and we just never noticed." She chuckled, hiding the hint of sadness and guilt in her tone. However, it didn't take long for her voice to quiver on the line. 

"It's ok, Seul. It's been a long day for all of us." Sooyoung reassured her friend. Seulgi sniffled, clearing her throat before she spoke again. 

"I forgot to mention that Joohyun is in the class too. Well, technically, we all are but separated with different coaches. I heard the school would try to make a lacrosse team, and with Seungwan's skills, they might ask her to join." 

Sooyoung raised a brow as she leaned forward to hear it clearer. This was an opportunity to keep an eye on Seungwan without forcing interaction. "Hey, Seul. I need a favor, and I understand if you don't want to do anything. You've done enough for me, but I have to ask." 

"What is it?" 

"Would you mind telling me whether or not Seungwan joins? You know, I just don't feel right being in the same school without coming to terms. Besides that, perhaps a few team exercises might help us get close to her again." She lied, and she knew she shouldn't, but if what Johnny said was true. Then she'd be screwed if Seulgi knew the truth. 

"That sounds like a great idea." The older girl replied, "Maybe by then, Seungwan will forgive us." 

Sooyoung nervously laughed, "Yes, exactly. I'm glad you got the idea. But you know, for now, let's keep our distance until we see a good opportunity." 

"Yeah. I like that idea. I'll keep you posted. Are you coming to school tomorrow?" 

"Of course. I can't leave you all alone with Yeri and Joohyun. My presence is required!" She joked, causing Seulgi to giggle. Surely Sooyoung was heading to a disaster, but for now, she could pretend there wasn't anything wrong. 

  


\--- 

Once Seungwan had arrived home, she quickly began to strip away her uniform as she entered the warmth of her bathwater. Closing her eyes, she couldn't help but reflect the incidents in her head. 

"I'm such an idiot," She mumbled. 

"Well, the day could have gone better, but you aren't an idiot," Wendy replied, startling Seungwan. 

"Geez, give me a heads-up next time." She held her hand to her beating heart before she splashed warm water on her face. "How could I greet Sooyoung and then pretend like I don't know Joohyun. It just doesn't make sense." 

"Seungwan, relax. You spoke without thinking. It happens to us all." 

"Sure, as if you were even a real person." Seungwan sassed. 

"Body or not, we are two heads in one. I think we could work something out. You know, play with your food," Wendy casually explained as if what she was saying was normal. 

"My food? I don't plan on eating Sooyoung or Joohyun. I-I mean sure, I'm not on the best terms with them but biting them is not on my mind…" 

A small chuckle rang through her causing her ears to redden, "I wouldn't force anything on you, kid. I'm just saying sooner or later, and we need a boost to keep us going. Otherwise, we might just snap." Wendy replied as the last sentence echoed in her mind, falling into another disoriented feeling before she is brought back at the sound of a knock. 

"Seungwan, who's in there with you?" Her mother called out, causing the young girl to panic. 

"N-No, one mom! Just thinking out loud. Sorry, I didn't think you'd hear me." Seungwan nervously chuckled as her heart beat faster than ever. Quickly, she washed her body before she stepped out, standing in the same spot from before. How many times must she meet herself this way? 

"Are you insane?!" She angrily whispered, "They're daughters of very powerful men. They'd crush us if we laid a hand on them." 

"It was only a suggestion," Wendy shrugged in her reflection as Seungwan sighed, dropping her tense shoulders as she leaned against her hand, chuckling softly. 

"Why would we need so much. We drank the whole person. I thought that would have been enough for now." 

"I don't think you understand the situation. You're wasting your energy faster than anyone else. Especially with Joohyun on her way to do who knows what, we need to be alert. Consider this-" 

"I won't! I-I just can't right now. Dealing with the first body was hard enough. I'll figure something out." Seungwan ended her argument with Wendy, wiping away her reflection. Slowly, she opened her door to tiptoe to her room with a towel covering her body. 

Once she got inside, she sighed as she rummaged through her wardrobe until she finally found something comfortable. While she changed, she couldn't help hearing the muffled conversation outside her door. Stepping softly, she pressed her ear against the wall to listen. "Ah, hello. I'm looking for Kim J-" Her mother stopped speaking, "Oh. You guys haven't heard from him either? When was the last time you saw him? I see. Well if you hear from him please inform me. Yes, my number is-" 

Seungwan pulled away, feeling the weight of constant lying becoming a bit too heavy. She never knew that lying to those around her would be so much work. The least she can do is think of a way around her troubles. Finally, she steps out of her room to greet her mother as if she weren't aware of her mother's heart, looking for closure. 

"Seungwan-ah, are you hungry? I can make something for you." Her mother asked as she made her way to the kitchen, only for Seungwan to stop her midway. 

"Mom, it's ok. I'm nearly an adult, and I can make myself food." She reassured her mother, causing the older woman to smile. 

"But you'll always be my baby," She replied, pulling Seungwan into a hug. If anything couldn't change her mind, then surely this was almost enough for her to confess her sins. She had to stop this before she spoke any further. 

"Yeah, but you have a busy work schedule. I wouldn't want you to be late." She chirped, pushing her mother away, placing her hands on her mother's shoulders. "I'll cook something for us to eat when you come back. My treat." Her mother smiled, nodding her head as she began to trail away. Something felt different this time, seeing her mother walk away to work. Seungwan was enslaved to burdens and lies. The least she could do is work through school, find a decent job to get the dream house her mother always wanted. She couldn’t risk getting caught, and so she hoped that if her victim's body were ever found, her DNA would never be traced back. If it does, who knows what her mother would think of her or who would take care of her. 

Seungwan sighs as she walks over to her freezer, taking out the packets of frozen meat to thaw. She stayed still as the temperature of the room ever so slowly melted the packet. Her eyes focused on the liquid oozing from the side, noticing that there was a bit of blood soaking the meat. The sudden idea struck Seungwan as she looked around the room suspiciously. Seungwan placed the packet of meat underwater, eagerly waiting to see the liquid inside. She doesn’t know how long she waited, but it was excruciating at the rate it was going. Finally, the meat was thawed enough to open one side of the packet. Grabbing a cup nearby, Seungwan watched the droplets of blood fall. She gulped harshly. 

“I love this waiting game. What do you call it?” Wendy asked as Seungwan chuckled sarcastically. 

“I call it the plan B, which doesn’t involve murdering other people and or getting caught by the police for the first kill.” 

“That’s a very long name, but I suppose I can’t deny a good experiment. Whenever you want to hear the truth, I’ll be here.” Seungwan rolled her eyes before focusing on the small pool of blood in her cup. Growing impatient, she placed the packet aside as she tipped the cup over her mouth, pushing her tongue out to get every drop. And to her surprise, it wasn’t that bad. It didn’t have the same satisfaction of human blood, but it was still nice to have. Nonetheless, she began to cook a meal for herself, making sure she left enough by the time her mother came back. 

Quietly, she sat alone with her thoughts. Chewing with a blank stare, she began to think of her life. If only she had chosen to stay away from Sooyoung, then maybe she wouldn’t end up desperately searching for animal blood in meat packets, nor stopping herself from murdering anyone else. Helpless and tired, she shook her head as she went back to her room, preparing her work uniform before heading off. 

\-- 

Seungwan likes to think she is a patient person, but work becoming excruciatingly slow drives her insane. Not a single customer has come by despite the late hour. Where did all the late buyers go? Though as if it were a sign from the heavens, a man stepped in with dirty clothes. A construction worker, she recalled. As she waited in her spot, watching the older man quickly skim through the alcohol section before coming over. There was something familiar about him, but Seungwan couldn’t figure out what. 

“Will that be all for you?” She asked as she began to scan the pack of drinks, only for him to point back to the packets of cigarettes. Seungwan complied, turning her back to gather the packets. Before she could turn around, the man began to cough intensely. She didn’t need to turn around to see the man openly coughing on her counter, causing her to be disgusted. When she turned around, she carefully scanned the item, calling out his total. Seungwan continued to stare at the man, trying to recall her memories. Where has she seen this man? He took out his money, carefully handed it to Seungwan, coughing in the process without remotely being apologetic at the drops of saliva landing on her hand. That’s when it finally hit Seungwan. She knew the man from the start of her accident. Before she could recall anything else, she proceeded to help him out like any other customer. Once she handed back his change, she watched him as he struggled to stuff the money back into his wallet. She couldn’t help but catch a small glimpse of a business card. 

**_Lee’s Construction_ **

When he was finished, she bid farewell, watching him disappear before the doors. She immediately grabbed her disinfecting spray to clean the counter and her hand sanitizer to clean herself. Seungwan sat on her chair as she remained motionless. Did she become whatever she is because of a sick man? How do bacteria from another human even lead to her becoming a bloodsucker? Does that mean he was one too? There are too many unanswered questions, and it’s driving her insane. 

“He has potential,” Wendy whispered, causing Seungwan to shake her head in disbelief. 

“Do you ever think of anything else? Can’t you at least give some sort of answer instead of more questions to ask?” She huffed, becoming so angry with everything that was beyond her reach. 

  
“Seungwan, I’m just another version of you inside your head. I’m not full of information. I’m afraid there’s nothing else that I could do or tell you.” Wendy replied, causing Seungwan to grow even more frustrated. “Let’s say that that man did infect you. What then? Are you going to let him go? Shouldn’t you consider ending his and any other person’s suffering, huh?” 

“I’m not going to kill him. I am afraid and paranoid enough about whoever finds the first body. I can’t risk getting caught. Especially with Joohyun, who’s probably already onto me, it’ll only prove that because I am a “poor” girl, I must be some savage with no human decency.” 

“No one said you had to kill him immediately. We could have our revenge first. Perhaps a little bite-” 

Seungwan shook her head, “No biting, no attacking, or anything risky. We’ll just have to do what Joohyun hated the most. Live my life as if I never met them.” 

“And if that plan fails?” 

“Then we will go to our last resort.” 

\--- 

By the time school had begun its second day, Sooyoung couldn’t help but feel uneasy. It wasn’t just because Sooyoung is forced to sit next to Seungwan for their first class, but rather the thoughts and intentions Seungwan had in her mind. Who was she at this point? Though as much as she wants to question Seungwan, there’s a part of her that reminds Sooyoung. If Seungwan is a murderer, so is she. No matter how you see it, she left the girl to die, only for her to turn into something else against her own will. Did she give Seungwan a better life or just more hate to dwell in her heart? How long will she stick with Seungwan? 

“Ms. Sooyooung, I would appreciate it if you paid attention.” Her teacher called out as she apologized, standing up with a book in front of her to read. Once she finished, she sat down, feeling her cheeks burn from the embarrassment. Out of habit, she turned to Seungwan, expecting the small blonde to look at her with a smile to soothe her mind, but Seungwan continued to read her book in silence. Before she could drown herself in her thoughts, the bell rang, causing the students to rush out of the classroom along with Seungwan. The only thing she could do is wish that Seulgi would do her part but keep a boundary between them. They couldn’t risk having another issue. 

\-- 

By the time Seulgi had entered her last class, she had made sure to remain in the back of the locker room, keeping an eye on Seungwan without her noticing. It was weird to think Seulgi practically spied on the girl, but it wasn’t with ill intention. A part of her still hesitated to interact with Seungwan. If she greeted her, would she even recognize her? Or if she did, she’d only see her as another person abandoned in a life or death situation. How could she have let Joohyun convince them to abandon Seungwan? Before she could think of anything else, all the girls were called to their classes, separating from Seungwan, who stood alone, with no friend to cling onto her or to make her smile or laugh. 

“Alright, class, after we do our laps, we’ll be joining another class in a lacrosse tournament. I expect good sportsmanship, and yes, participation is needed unless you want to retake my class.” Their coach called out, causing some of her classmates to groan before they headed off to run. Quickly their class finished, gathering around to put on different jerseys while they went over the rules again. 

“Remember, ladies. Tackling is allowed, but don’t injure your teammates either. This is only a friendly game.” Their coaches reminded them as the first two teams gathered in the field as Seulgi remained on the sidelines. Both players lined up in the center of the field with their sticks on the floor until the whistle was blown, causing both players to clash. Seungwan’s team managed to get the ball before she knew it, throwing it around the field until a familiar petit figure jumped to get the ball. Seulgi’s eyes widened at the realization that Seungwan was the player running around so smoothly, without a single person trailing behind her agile movement as she threw the ball into the net, unable to give the goalkeeper enough time to block. The other half of her class on the sidelines cheered loudly. It was like watching a real competition with the way Seungwan and her teammates played so professionally. Finally, goal after goal, their 10-minute mark was up as the field was cleared for the next team to come up. 

Seulgi immediately recognized one of the students that lined up in the center. It was Joohyun who was taking the lead. She knew the girl had many talents, but even now, she remained amazed by her performance. Despite having a smaller frame, she moved around with no issue, tackling, intercepting the ball, and even scoring flawlessly. It was as if the match ended in a few minutes, with Joohyun’s team happily taking their victory, moving ahead in their tournament. Now it was Seulgi’s turn, feeling butterflies in her stomach. She was growing nervous just to be in front of Seungwan, making her glad that her helmet blocked most of the viewing on her face. She shook the jitters away as she stood in front of their goal as a defender. 

As soon as the whistle blows, Seulgi has difficulty focusing her attention on the players running near her. She knew this wasn’t a time to back out, but she couldn’t help but question if this was worth a grade. Gathering her courage, Seulgi ran towards her opponent, pushing all her force to knock them down, tumbling along the grass field too. The crowd hissed at the class as Seulgi groaned at the impact. The coaches blew their whistles to pause the game as they jogged over to Seulgi. 

“Kang, are you alright?” Asked her teacher, waving her hand in front of her helmet. “Listen, kid, and if this game is too hard, you can skip this-”   
Seulgi shook her head, picking herself up with her stick, glancing over at the worried look all over Seungwan’s face. It was nearly comical for Seulgi. Unaware of who she was, yet she felt sorry for her. Seungwan was still the same after all. “I’m fine. It was barely much of a hit, anyway.” She smiled at her coach as she chuckled a bit. Quickly, the team returned into their positions as she shook the pain away. If she feels hurt with a minor injury, she can’t imagine how hurt Seungwan must have felt. With all her strength, Seulgi chased players, pushing them to the floor, but proceeding to pick them up soon after. The game ended in a nail-biting tie. 

Once their class was dismissed, the girls began to head over to the locker rooms. Seulgi struggled to sit on the bench, and it was unbearable even to try to place her clothes back on. Seulgi could only shut her eyes and hope that the pain would relieve itself. Catching her completely off guard, she felt an ice pack against her skin. 

“Nice job, Kang. Never knew you had it in you,” Said her coach. “The school wants to make a women's lacrosse team. Interested in trying out?” 

Seulgi smiled to herself, feeling accomplished that this was the least she could do to help Sooyoung and herself. “Yeah. I’d love to.” 

“We haven’t formed a team yet, but I can imagine it already. Joohyun, Seungwan, and you would make a great combination.” Her coach explained. 

“Seungwan? You asked her already?” 

“Yeah. She said she’d give it a thought. Though I hope she does, in case she doesn’t, how about you help get other players?” She offered. 

“Yeah, of course.” Seulgi nodded before watching her coach leave. A part of her couldn’t help but feel she managed to accomplish something. Unable to contain her excitement, she grabbed her phone to call Sooyoung. Finally, things would become much more interesting. 

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I did as I promised to make a double update. Now I would like to say a few things. First, I will be taking summer classes online so updates will be really slow. Secondly, I honestly have no clue about lacrosse rules or just how it's really played. I just watched a couple of videos and figured this seems like a rich kid sport and it went well with the story lmao. 
> 
> Anywho, Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment on whatever about the chapter. Give me your thoughts, theories, and or constructive criticism for the story! Remember to stay safe! ^^


	5. Just to feel again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All it takes is one touch, yet Seungwan and Sooyoung can only yearn for more than they can get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly don't have enough brain cells to cope with my own story. Please excuse any mistakes!

To say everyone was honest with one another would be a lie. Just like the rest, Yeri knew a few things. Things that she wished she could erase within the snap of her fingers, but let's face the truth. Yeri may be the youngest, but she isn't oblivious to Joohyun's torment. She sees the malicious intent in her eyes. The girl knew the moment Seungwan became close to Sooyoung, but never in her life did she think Joohyun could bully another person. 

"Joohyun?" Yeri asked as she watched the older girl check her reflection on her pocket mirror, puckering up her lips as she hummed in response. 

"Are you going to the tryouts? It just seems too random." Yeri questioned as Joohyun shut her mirror, turning her heels to face the girl. "I mean, you've always hated sports that seemed too aggressive. Why do you have an interest in it now?" 

"Do you ever think about this situation logically?" Joohyun asked, avoiding the younger girl's question, "You saw Seungwan's body, yet she seems better than she did before. Is it some weird prank or witchcraft, perhaps?" 

Yeri raised her brow, unable to understand where this was heading, though she'd be lying if she said she hadn't thought about it. It is humanly impossible to recover within a month. "I wouldn't know." 

"Let's say the crash did some damage to her head. There will still be a chance that she will remember what happened to her. But what are the chances of her remembering us at the scene?" She questioned with a particular look in her eyes. No matter how much Joohyun refuses to admit her mistakes, Yeri takes the burden with her. Every scar, physically and mentally, that Seungwan bears are because of their arrogance. All of them are guilty. 

"Have you spoken to Sooyoung recently? She texted us on the first day but hasn't said anything since." The petite girl states as Joohyun raises her eyes to meet hers. She knows their relationship has been on and off since Seungwan's accident. No matter how much Joohyun tried to comfort her friend, Sooyoung always pushed her away and grieved on her own, ultimately pushing away her friends as if Seungwan were the only one who existed in her head. 

"No, we haven't talked. How is this relevant?" There's a sense of bitterness in her tone as Yeri raised her hands in defense. 

"I was just asking." Replied the younger girl, walking aside her friend as they headed home. Watching Joohyun walk with a satisfied sly smirk as the students around her practically praised her in silence. As much as Yeri loves her friend, she can't stand this superiority complex Joohyun holds. However, she can't blame Joohyun alone. Her family grew up with this kind of mentality. Ever since she met the girl, Joohyun had taken her in as a younger sister. Joohyun wasn't one to be hostile. She’s always been kind. But if she remains Bae Joohyun, the superiority complex wouldn't disappear. 

* * *

_The Bae family was complicated. They were always so serious and cold towards others who differed from them. She recalls the day their parents spoke as Joohyun and Yeri was left to play outside in the garden._

_"Papa took me out yesterday," the older girl spoke as she picked at the petals of the flower in her hand._

_"Where did you go?" Yeri asked, paying close attention._

_"We went to a farm. It wasn't very nice. Papa took me to see all the animals, but they weren't happy." She explained, "They were in cages. They were very demanding." Joohyun recalled taking a seat next to the younger girl._

_"What did you do there?" Yeri asked._

_"Papa said he wanted to show me something for when I grow up. He made me feed the animals, but every time I did, they'd take the food out of my hands or bite me, whining for more. While we fed them, he said that some people were like caged animals. You give them something, and they continue to demand more without working for it. Sometimes people aren't meant to be mixed in because they'll only want one thing from you. If you aren't disciplined, bad things will happen." She turned to take Yeri's hand with a serious look on her face. "But that won't happen to us. I will protect everyone. No bad thing will hurt us as long as we stick together."_

Yeri, who was only eight at the time, didn't understand. But as they grew up, she began to see what Joohyun's father meant. His legacy was reflecting off of Joohyun. She sometimes thinks she never developed a mind of her own. But now that they are older, she sees why this situation ended up in a disaster leading to Seungwan's accident. Joohyun saw Seungwan as an animal who demanded from Sooyoung. No matter how much she tried to discipline Seungwan verbally, she refused to separate from Sooyoung until the very end. It took physical force for Seungwan to learn, but somehow disaster still struck anyway, proving Mr. Bae's legacy. Seungwan wasn't meant to mix in with their lives, and now they suffer from the consequences. 

Of course, Yeri doesn't see it that way. But a part of her knows Joohyun believes it. If Seungwan wouldn't have disappeared before, what would Joohyun do now? What else is she capable of doing for the sake of 'protecting' them. But she can't stand this. She won't have more burdens piling up on her shoulders. Joohyun is her friend, but she won't live as a bystander again to her harmful actions towards an innocent girl. Yeri would try everything she could to protect Seungwan, even if she questioned how the girl survived or if she genuinely forgot. Their past won't repeat itself for as long as she's there, but the others must not know. 

* * *

There isn’t a minute where Seungwan feels the need to release her stress. Things that just don’t make sense continue to pile up. Should she take into consideration the lacrosse team tryouts? The thought sends shivers down her spine at the idea of getting out of her bubble. Seungwan drops her shoulders, a deep sigh escaping her lips as she brushes her hair back, catching a glimpse of her appearance. Considering how much strength she has gained and changed in appearance, a part of her old self felt trapped within. Now she is split between two people stuck in one body. 

Turning her broken phone on, she stares at the wallpaper of Sooyoung and her. With a small smile, a part of her misses the feeling of being around the taller girl, but things are different. Sooyoung looks like she is on the brink of a mental breakdown at the sight of Seungwan. With their relationship being in pieces, is it fair to miss her? 

“Why dwell so much in the past, Seungwan? I promised to take care of us.” Wendy reassured Seungwan as the girl shook her head. 

“Words can’t prove anything, especially not from someone who encourages me to suck the life out of someone,” Seungwan argues, feeling her thoughts weigh her down. “I need proof. How do I know I can trust you?” 

Looking at the black screen of her phone, she sees Wendy’s concerned yet determined look on her face. “I’ll do everything in our power to help us. You know, I cannot lie to you. I’m just another version of you who desires to give us a good life with or without murder on our hands. Don’t you desire to be happy? This is your last year in high school, and you should enjoy it while you’re young.” 

Seungwan looked away from her reflection, taking in Wendy’s words. It is her last year in high school. Son Seungwan deserves a good year. “Can you promise me everything will be fine?” 

“Cross my heart and hope to die.” 

* * *

By the next day of school, Seungwan feels her nerves creep up as she walks through the school's halls. If it were any other day, this feeling wouldn’t cross her mind, but somehow, she feels like prey out in the open. Seungwan stops in her tracks as she feels eyes piercing through her soul, meeting Joohyun’s fixated gaze. Beside the girl is Yeri, who stares at her blankly. What were they planning exactly? 

Seungwan shakes off the feeling of uneasiness and remains attentive to class. Occasionally she glances over at Sooyoung, who is too out of it to even notice the stares. Considering how much she has changed over the months, perhaps she was also worried about something too as much as Seungwan desired to tap her shoulder to see her droopy, tired eyes and make a joke to see a smile again. She shakes the thoughts away, gripping her chest, feeling the sudden tightness and pain spread through her body. Why must she suffer so much? 

Nonetheless, Seungwan continues her day, leading up to the moment she dreads the most. School was finally over, and tryouts were starting soon. A sigh escapes her mouth as her heart races, pounding intensely in her chest. Leaning against her open locker, Seungwan looked over to her reflection on her mirror to see a concerned look on Wendy's face. Soon enough, Wendy sends her an encouraging smile to reassure her. Seungwan smiles in return and nods her head. If Wendy is here, then there isn’t anything to worry about. 

Shutting her locker, Seungwan jogged over to the gym, swinging the door open to see her coach stand in between the bleachers. With a smile on her face, Seungwan greets her coach, unaware of the other students on the bleachers. 

“Glad you came, Seungwan.” 

“Thought to myself that it would have been a shame if you didn’t get your rising star.” She joked, unaware of where this sudden confidence is coming from. Was this Wendy helping her out? Before she could say anything else, the older woman chuckles, dismissing the girl to take a seat on the bleachers. When she turns around, her heart drops at sight in front of her. Out of all the kids in school, why were _they_ there? Seungwan began to walk up the steps, noticing her former friends’ eyes on her. 

“Alright, ladies. We’ll start with a few stretches, so choose a partner and get started.” 

As if things weren’t awkward as it was now, she couldn’t imagine how things would be if they made the team. Once everyone stood up to pick a partner, Seungwan heard her name called from different directions. Looking around, she noticed Seulgi and Joohyun looking directly at her. She watches as Sooyoung walks past her to find a partner nearby from the corner of her eye. Something about having Sooyoung acting like she doesn't exist hurts a bit. 

"Ladies, there's only one of Seungwan. We have to hurry up and start," Her coach explained as both Seulgi and Joohyun stared at each other, refusing to give up the petite girl. "Alright, fine. Pick a number one through ten." 

"Ten," Joohyun replied. 

"Five," Seulgi said. 

"Congrats, Kang. Seungwan is all yours." Her coach patted her shoulder, signaling them to start quickly. As Seulgi came down the bleachers, the other girls kept a close view of them. 

"Is it alright if I call you Wendy?" Seulgi asked, approaching the girl shyly as Seungwan nodded in response. "I-I heard about your accident over the summer. Do you remember who I am?" 

Seungwan is stunned by the question. Did Sooyoung keep her interaction a secret from the rest? Watching around her surroundings to see the tall girl far away with Joohyun, the only one left behind was Yeri, who simply sat on the bleachers, observing them from a distance. 

"No, I don't have much recollection of people I knew before." She lied, wondering how far they'd go. "Were we classmates?" 

Seulgi's smile partially crumbles but regains her composure, "Yeah. We were classmates." Seungwan nods, walking towards an open space to start stretching, feeling her partner stare intensely at her body movements. There was a look in her eyes, almost as if she were so afraid of seeing Seungwan's limbs fall apart. Though, she is certain Seulgi has seen that before. Wendy crouches down, taking a seat on the cold floor, spreading her legs to stretch out. Looking up, she raises a brow before saying, "Will you help me stretch?" Causing her to nod quickly, scrambling behind her. 

Seulgi's heart beats fast. This was beyond anything she ever imagined. The last time she saw Seungwan, her body was mangled, bloody, and just horrendous. She feels it nearly coming up her throat, but she covers her mouth to stop herself from throwing up. Seulgi must keep quiet. The older girl's hands shake as they place themselves firmly on Wendy's back, afraid of pushing too harshly against her. It was so odd to feel. To feel her muscles move and stretch perfectly fine as if they weren’t torn in two. How did she recover over the summer? 

Wendy softly groans before coming up again to switch spots with Seulgi. There is no need to try to read Seulgi's mind when her eyes say it all despite putting on a smile. Seungwan has her trembling without doing a single thing. It oddly puts a smile on her face. If only Joohyun were the same. Wendy places herself behind Seulgi, observing her before their coach blows the whistle to catch their attention as they move onto their next activity. 

Without hesitation, Seungwan separates herself from her partner, who still is on the floor with a confused expression. Within minutes, the students were tested through different exercises that consisted of running, throwing, catching, and blocking. Once students could grasp the idea, they were given different colored jerseys and separated into teams. Seungwan remained on Seulgi's side upon grabbing her jersey as they put on their gear before starting the game. 

Players lined up with their positions, watching the two players at the center crouch slightly before the whistle is blown. The match starts quickly with the opposite team running with the ball, calling out for their mates before watching the ball thrown in midair. As if something clicks in her, Seungwan pushes herself, jumping in the process and intercepting the ball while she runs towards an open area, seeing her teammates scramble. Her classmates begin to call out, but she cannot reach anyone near her with the opposite team surrounding them. 

"Wendy!" She hears a teammate call out, running around the field with her stick high in the sky. Trusting her teammate, Seungwan throws the ball to catch perfectly, throwing it into the net successfully. Her teammates cheer as they run back together. 

Within minutes the other team begins to nearly take the lead with their own petite yet swift player. Seungwan knows it's Joohyun, and with her new strength, it would be easy to take down that stupid, sly smirk on her face. Of course, Seungwan is smart. If she wanted to remain unnoticed, she'd have to pretend to miss or seem tired to catch up with some players who were out of her reach. But it's something about her former bully acting cocky that makes her blood boil. 

'Calm down, or this will end up in a bloodbath.' Wendy reminds Seungwan to cool off. After all, this was just a skirmish. The game continues with Joohyun and her teammates running around the field, yelling for one of them to catch the ball. Seeing one of the opposite team's players run in an open area to help Joohyun. Seungwan predicts their move, chasing after the player who successfully catches the ball. Just on time, Seungwan tackles the player while losing her balance, falling onto the player.

Seungwan braces herself for the impact but only finds the player below her. She didn't suffer any effect because of the player who held onto her during their fall. Seungwan's ears began to ring at the sound of a soft groan coming from the player. Pushing herself up in a panic, she notices the player breathe without much movement besides a few groans and moans. Seungwan unclips the helmet to help relieve the player as the sight of Sooyoung's soft eyes staring directly at her. Quite ironic to run over Sooyoung, except she didn't end up like some vampire. 

Seungwan is left surprised and oddly concerned for the girl. Sure, helmets protect her, but did she perhaps overdo it with the tackle? Seungwan grasps her hands, pulling Sooyoung up with no issue as most of the team comes up to check on the two. To her surprise, the tall girl doesn't say anything. Not even a small thank you as Joohyun comes over to take Sooyoung away with an arm over her shoulder, slowly guiding them to the bleachers. 

Before thinking anything else, the coach blows the whistle with a smile on her face, "Well, that concludes the tryouts. I'll post a list of students who made it in a few days. See you then, ladies." Seungwan takes off her gear, placing it in a bag as her coach calls her name. 

"Yes?" She answers, grabbing her things nearby. 

"Come help clean up," She said with a smile on her face, "Don't worry, it's not punishment for your tackle. I have other students who offered to help too." The older woman guided her as she began to collect the gear to the gym building. 

"You know, for a small girl like you, I'm quite shocked you were able to tackle like that." 

Seungwan shyly smiled, "I guess it was just pure luck." 

"Luck doesn't exist in these types of situations. You got skills, especially Joohyun, Seulgi, and Sooyoung too. Perhaps you guys are part of the ideal team." 

"Are you accepting me in the team already?" She joked, causing her coach to laugh. 

"Well, I can't deny nor agree with that. I guess you'll have to wait and see. Have a nice night, Seungwan. Don't tackle anyone else." 

* * *

As soon as Sooyoung was dismissed, she was left in awkward silence with Joohyun holding her in place. It’s been a while since they spoke without the mention of Seungwan without a passive-aggressive tone with each other. Setting herself on the curb of the road, Sooyoung watches as Joohyun meets her level to brush back her messy strands of hair.

“You took quite the tackle. Are you alright?” She spoke softly, carefully placing her bag on the side. The older girl takes notice of her silence, knowing where this conversation was heading. “It’s not about the hit, huh? You’re probably freaked out from having a girl you thought was dead so close to you.” 

“Why are you here, Joohyun? Out of anyone else, why are _you_ here?” Joohyun frowns, hearing her tone. Here they were again. 

"I was asked to come. Can't say we have the same intention, can you?" Joohyun bites back, trying to calm her anger slowly rising. "It doesn't take a genius to know you're only here because of Seungwan. It's so obvious. It's written all over your face." 

"My intention is none of your concern. However, I must say, for someone who wanted to bury Seungwan's name. You didn't seem to back down when trying to become her partner. Whatever you're playing at-" 

"Excuse me? You know nothing of my intentions, don't act as if you know me. I don't know why I bother to keep up with you. All we ever do is argue about the same thing over and over again. All because you're so obsessed with her. Every conversation was Seungwan this, Seungwan that. You've never bothered to ask how we've been handling this situation. You're just awful, Sooyoung." Joohyun tightens her fist, unable even to stand to be near the girl. The taller girl watches her friend walk away, catching up with Yeri and Seulgi. 

She places her head down on her knees, hugging herself. There is so much inside that wants to explode. Being alive now feels like a single ship that continues to sink no matter how much she repairs it. Keeping herself occupied with her thoughts, she hears a car drive near her. 

"Sooyoung," A familiar voice calls out, "it's been a while since we properly spoke." 

Raising her head slowly, she feels an instant relief to see the mysterious man she met before. The only person who seems to know what's wrong with her. "Johnny? What're you doing here?" 

"I figured you needed someone to talk to. How about we go somewhere private?” 

* * *

“How was school today?” Johnny asked, taking a seat on a nearby picnic table. When he mentioned a private place, she didn’t quite expect a lonely park outside of the city. 

“I’ll take it as a compliment that you don’t think I look like a mess.” 

“Is this not your usual look?” Johnny jokes, trying to lighten the girl’s mood. “I’ll assume your sour mood has something to do with Seungwan. Did something happen?” 

Sooyoung swallowed a lump in her throat, looking anywhere but the man in front of her. “Why did you pick me to help Seungwan?” 

“Well, aside from being the only person who seems to have a deeper connection with her, I figured it's something that would help you move on.” He softly spoke, tilting his head with a sympathetic smile on his face. “If there is something wrong, I don’t mind listening. Or if you desire to forget about meeting each other, I can rearrange something too.” 

“What a nice way of saying you’d probably kill me,” She jokes, trying to push back the intense need to cry out. “But anyway, back to what’s important. Seungwan is planning on joining the school lacrosse team. I made sure to keep a close eye on her.” 

“Did you notice any changes?” Johnny asked, raising a brow. 

“Well, apparently, she excels in everything about this sport. Throughout all of the school year together, not once did she ever mention any interest in sports or the desire to be in one. She’s a whole new person as far as her physique goes.” 

"Did something else happen, Sooyoung?" 

Her lips began to quiver at the question. She doesn't know how to answer without seeming like she'll fall apart any minute. "When the accident happened, I wanted nothing more than to hold her even if we'd be soaked in her blood, but I was never able to." She explained, wiping away her tears, "But today, for once in a long time, I was able to feel her even if it was a tackle to the ground. Her body was intact, healed, and it felt so different from other times I've held her. Doesn’t it sound so pathetic to cry over being tackled because you're so touch starved?" 

Johnny softly places a hand on Sooyoung's shoulder, rubbing his thumb to comfort her. "It's not your fault things turned out to be this way." 

"Yeah, well, it feels like it. Not only did I fail Seungwan, but I'm a lousy friend to the ones who are alive. I'm starting to think maybe I'm not meant to help Seungwan. She deserves better than a girl who caused her so much damage." 

"In most cases that involved with hybrids, they often wished someone had stuck around to help the slightest bit. You're human, Sooyoung. You're bound to mess up, but that shouldn't mean you can't improve. In this case, I think you're the only one who can get through Seungwan." He explained, watching the young girl cry her eyes out, lunging herself to hug the vampire in the process. She was silently sobbing into his jacket, remaining quiet. Suddenly, taking notice of the lack of heartbeat in his chest. 

"Your heart doesn't beat?" She asks, pulling away. 

"Well, I am technically 'dead,’" he jokes at the confused expression on her face, "Don't worry, Seungwan's heart still beats. It's just a vampire thing." 

"How-" 

"Ah! Well, that's a long story for another time. I have many plans for you and me. Are you ready to save Seungwan?" 

Sooyoung wipes away her sorrows, breathes in, and smiles, “Let’s save, Seungwan.” 


	6. Hot N' Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sooyoung and Joohyun are hot n' cold. Seulgi just wants to be friends. Seungwan is losing her mind, and Yeri just wants to stay neutral.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still don't have a brain cell to cope with anything. Excuse any mistakes :D Thank you!

_There is nothing more mysterious than a vampire’s history. Where they come from is always questioned or how they came to be. It’s the secret society that vampires call home. But who knows the origin of them? Since the beginning of time, humans had always feared human-like beasts that lurk in the darkness of the world, but it is far from the truth. Vampires were humans too, but somewhere along with their DNA, they mutated. Unlike the rest, they didn’t crave animals or drink water to survive. Their body demanded blood, an uncontrollable thirst that took millions of lives that came with new abilities. Vampires climbed to the top of the food chain as humans grew fearful. The more they became thirsty, the more legends and myths humans would spew to keep their children safe from savaged creatures from hell._

_Of course, that isn’t entirely true. Vampires did go through a dark period of unspeakable mass murders, but they began to evolve along with humanity. They weren’t mindless creatures. Just like the human race, vampires were and still share similarities to them despite the mutation. As times began to change, vampires learned of their new abilities. Some grew stronger and faster. Others harness the power to read minds, hypnosis, heal, and even feel others' emotions. There were far too many to keep count, but along with these discoveries came precautions. Many vampires who desired to maintain an intimate relationship with humans had come across an unfortunate fate of murdering their lovers the moment they kissed. Many simple things seemed to kill a human so quickly. Before further technical advances, vampires believed it was a curse placed upon them. A condemnation that will always remind them that humans and vampires could never come together._

_But as time went on, humans began to adapt better, evolve almost as the vampires did. Soon enough, vampires started to assimilate with humans to the point where humans believed vampires were only myths. Later on, hybrids were born. Hybrids were like vampires when it came to their new abilities, but they weren’t entirely the same. A vampire's heart refused to beat, causing their skin to become paler. Often, some vampires would keep their hearts as decoration, while some simply took their hearts out as there was no use to them. Hybrids could live in both worlds at once with a heart that still beat despite the low rates, and human food was not a necessity but something they could enjoy without questions. But because a hybrid's true nature is to be human, the DNA of a vampire mutating inside can cause issues. Their low heart rate often caused heart failure, but some were willing to give their hearts to hybrids. In a sense, it was a fair trade between the two. It kept peace and harmony for them, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t cases of a few bad apples who desired to expose vampires or kill all humans. Luckily, vampires kept a council who dealt with these specific issues._

_Along with technical advances, the secret society had found a cure to turn hybrids back to humans. Though some wanted to stay as they were, others desired to become human again. Like any vaccine, humans would need to be injected and hypnotized to forget everything they had previously learned if they chose so. The secret society had many levels to them, such as business, health, enforcement, and help to assimilate into the human world. It had been the way of life for vampires and hybrids for the last 300 years._

* * *

Johnny slammed shut his textbook, taking a sip of his coffee, greeting nearly everyone in his department. When one thinks of vampires, most people think of them as angry, moody, and broody, but that wasn’t the case for Johnny. He was, in fact, one of the happy vampires who loved their jobs. There wasn’t anyone who could make him question his career. Of course, that was before Seungwan came along. Ever since a crew of construction workers found a dead body stuck at the end of a pipe, things have been a bit more complicated, but nothing to worry about. Or so he tells himself. As long as the new leading detective doesn’t hunt him down, there is no issue. 

Johnny stops his steps and smiles. “Mr. Doyoung, what brings you to this area?” He asks as he walks closer to the angry detective, who hands him a green file. 

“Where’s the girl?” Doyoung asked. 

“Seungwan, you mean? The hybrid has a name Mr. Doyoung.” Johnny reassured him as he looked at the file of Seungwan. “What is this for?” 

“I had my team track down her address, but it turns out she doesn’t live in the location she states in official documents. Did you know about this?” 

Johnny places a finger on his chin as if lost in thought, “Partially, but I haven’t tried to reach her personally. You see, I’m trying to plan a friendly way to approach her while also fixing other situations.” 

“Such as?”

Johnny gasped as he shook his head, “That information is between my team and I. I’m afraid it’ll have to wait until further instructions.” 

“Then get it done. If one more body shows up or someone else ends up injured, I must take charge in your case. I want it done by next month.” 

Johnny held his tongue, smiling in acknowledgment before walking away. Letting his friendly persona disappear, he sighs in frustration. He’s had severe cases before, but something about involving other humans always seems to make things difficult. But before comforting Seungwan, Johnny needs to know how she got infected in the first place. Who is walking around infecting others?

* * *

Being a vampire isn’t too bad, or so Seungwan thought. Trying to maintain a human-free diet is hard, especially with stress. A part of her wants nothing more than to grab someone, anyone, and sink her teeth until there is nothing more to drink. Feeling this way conflicts with her so much. Seungwan swears never to hurt anyone else, but Wendy doesn’t seem to care about the consequences. And so here she was, practically staring into the nonexistent soul of the meat packets that were on sale at work. Just looking at the bag, she can savor the taste. To rip open the bag and drink every last drop left inside as if it were some juice box. Seungwan needs help, but she won’t ever admit it, well, she can’t accept from anyone. What would anyone know about the changes in her body? Certainly not her mother, not her peers, not Sooyoung, nor anyone else. 

By the end of her shift, Seungwan begins to pile up the juiciest packs of meat that could quench her thirst—taking up to the cashier, watching the shocked expression on her younger coworker. 

“Wow, are you having a party or something?” He asked, giggling at the stacks of meats. 

“Something like that.” She nervously chuckled, taking out her wallet to pay. 

“Well, if you have another big get together with this amount of meat, make sure to invite me!” He giggles, passing the bag over to Seungwan, causing her to stop for a moment. There’s a sudden image that pops up in her head that causes her to cringe and to want nothing else than to bang her head into a wall over repeatedly. 

“Yeah, I’ll be sure to invite you, Mark.” She bids farewell, pushing the door semi aggressively. There is a need in her body. Seungwan hasn’t drank any blood since her last experiment with dinner, and quite frankly, the withdraws are starting to make her feel like an alcoholic on a binge. Holding her bag close to herself, she walks around the same streets that mark her first kill. It was strange to roam at night so freely, especially as a young girl. If this were the same girl from the past, Seungwan would fear any interaction late at night. But now things are different. Those who are around her should be the ones trembling. 

Of course, it’s not like she’d commit any crimes. Or at least, so she thinks. Running low on blood is distorting her thoughts; even Seungwan doesn’t feel like herself. Looking around the nightlife, Seungwan sees bickering employees throwing out a drunk man from their store, throwing all his belongings. 

“You should have left when you had the chance,” An angry worker spat, meeting Seungwan’s eyes. He cleared his throat, heading back inside. Her eyes move towards the intoxicated man who could barely hold his head up. Seungwan knelt to pick up the man’s keys and wallet. Upon retrieving it, she noticed a familiar business card at the front of the pocket. It was the same sickly man who held her and coughed all over the register at work—what a coincidence. 

Her thoughts were interrupted at the sound of the man groaning as he tried to get up but failing in the process. Seungwan glanced at the address on his ID before shutting it and placing it in her pocket. The smaller girl positioned herself to pull up the older man, walking over to a nearby bench. Considering the late hour, she knew she couldn’t just leave him alone. She pulls out her phone, placing the address, noticing that it was relatively close. Huffing as they made their way, Seungwan regrets wasting so much of her energy on her worries. If she had conserved her strength, then holding up this man wouldn’t be an issue. Feeling her body force itself to hold both of their weight was becoming so much. Before she could give up, Seungwan heard the sound of her phone buzz at the site of the destination. Eyes lurking at every corner, she took notice of the silence around the apartment complex. Not a single person was in sight. Pushing themselves forwards, they finally arrived at the owner’s place. Seungwan places him on the floor gently, figuring out which of the many keys could be the one to his home. 

Finally, after several tries, Seungwan pulled the man inside, tripping over the cans of alcohol sprawled on the floor. Hissing in pain, she tried to soothe her bottom from the fall. The pain didn’t compare to being hit with a car, but having no strength made everything feel worse. She takes a deep breath as she stands up to see the messy home. Raising a brow in disgust, she looks over to the sleeping man and shakes her head in disbelief. 

“To think you have mercy for this man,” Wendy says, causing Seungwan to sigh. 

“We can’t always resolve our problems with murder.” 

“Sure, you can. You just have to hide it very well.” Wendy cheerfully chimed, “Besides, don’t act like such a saint. I know everything you think. I mean, I knew what you imagined with that coworker of yours. Oh, the desire to invite him over for a get-together but only for you to just eat him-” 

“Stop!” Seungwan shouted, closing her fist tightly as she closed her eyes. “Why are you this way? I thought you were on my side.” 

“Of course, I am! Seungwan, I am just a part of you. I’m as hungry as you are.” Wendy whispered, assuring the girl. “I can’t help myself. Deep down, you are aware of it.” Opening her eyes slowly, she watches the man on the floor sleeping away from his troubles. Unaware of everything he has caused, it takes so much effort to stop herself from taking a bite and to desperately hold him as she drains the life out of him! Seungwan sighs. It is only for now that she feels this way. Considering her meat packets have melted on the way here, maybe the blood would come out more. But if things got out of hand, keeping the address on her phone might serve a purpose, right? 

“Let’s get out of here before mom gets worried,” Seungwan whispered, tiptoeing around the sleeping man. Poking her head out to make sure no one was in sight, Seungwan ran out of the building and into the streets to get home. 

* * *

Today was the day, the day to announce students who made it into the team. Seungwan is a bit excited and in a better mood compared to her unexpected little meeting. It turns out draining the blood from melted meat packets was the best idea she had. Watching the coach post the list of names on the wall as the girls behind her held themselves in anticipation. Once the older woman moved away, the students behind her huddled together to celebrate or comfort those who didn’t make it. As Seungwan tried to reach forward to read the paper, a hand grasped her wrist as she turned to see Seulgi with the biggest smile on her face. 

“Wan-ah! We made the team!” Seulgi shyly stares into Seungwan’s eyes, unaware of saying Seungwan’s former nickname until it hits Seulgi. “I-I mean Seungwan. We made the team! Isn’t that amazing?” 

Seungwan nods her head, unable to answer correctly. A part of her wishes she never heard that nickname before. All she can think about is how she fell for the idea of being their friend. Seungwan was a fool. Pulling her wrist from Seulgi’s grip, she turns to see the other girls watch her and Seulgi speak. It was hard to read what they felt, but Seungwan doesn’t want to know again. 

“For those who made the team, we’ll be having a meeting after school at the gym building. Make sure to come.” 

* * *

By the time school ends, Seungwan watches some of her peers walk towards the gym excitingly. The closer she walks to the building, she begins to question if this was even a good idea. But she already worked hard to get here, and she can’t quit now. Taking a deep breath, Seungwan gathers all the courage she has to open the door and find a seat on the bleachers, far from any of the girls. It wasn’t even necessary to turn her head. She felt their eyes follow every move she made. 

“Alright, ladies, congrats on making the team! It was tough to choose who stays and who goes, but from your performances in tryouts, you all excelled.” The older woman complimented, “Starting from now and on, we are a team, and as a team, please refrain from causing problems. We are in this together, so let’s get along to beat other competing teams!” 

Seungwan loosened the collar on her uniform at the mention of having no problems. To be fair, she didn’t expect any of the girls to try out. If there are any issues, in the long run, it isn’t on her. 

“Practice is after school at 4 pm every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Please, please, please be sure to exchange numbers with girls on your team to make sure everyone knows about announcements. That’ll be all for today. See you all at practice!” The coach dismissed her students as the students began to move around to gather each other's information. Seungwan, on the other hand, was caught up in an awkward situation. She did have a phone, but pulling out the phone that formerly belonged to Sooyoung as a gift from Seulgi, can make her seem like a liar. Not to mention the screensaver that Seungwan has forgotten to change because a part of her refuses to believe this situation is real in general. 

“Seungwan!” She hears her name called out by Seulgi as the other girls remained in the same place near the top of the bleachers, keeping their stares on her. “Can I have your number?” Seulgi asks. 

Seungwan hates how much she has to lie, especially when people like them know well enough about her situation. “Sorry, Seulgi. I don’t have a phone.” Seungwan nervously holds her neck, trying to seem as if she were embarrassed not to have a phone. 

“Oh,” Seulgi says, looking a bit awkward for asking a question she knew was bound to happen. 

“Well, your mother has a phone, doesn’t she?” 

“Uh, yes?” 

“Perfect! I can just give you my number. You can call me whenever you miss school and want to catch up on anything.” Seungwan awkwardly chuckles, now feeling obligated to go on with her lie. 

“For sure.” Seungwan nods as she watches Seulgi tear a piece of paper from her notes to write down her number. 

“Here.” Seulgi hands it over. “I hope you do have time to call me sometime. Considering we’re a team now, maybe we can get to know each other better?” Seungwan sees the hope in her eyes, and for once, Seungwan genuinely feels bad for lying to her former friends. Sure, they weren’t really at fault with her relationship with Joohyun and Sooyoung, but abandoning her after running her over is still hurtful nonetheless. 

“S-Sure. I don’t mind.” Seungwan nods as she watches Seulgi awkwardly ramble about wanting to become friends outside of school too. What happened to the days where they watched her from afar and trembled at the sight? Those were the good days. “If I have time to take a day off. Maybe we can hang out or something.” Seungwan lies, but at least she can make herself seem friendly and not heartless as Joohyun probably wants her to appear. 

“W-Wow. You work?” Seulgi seems amazed by the fact. Of course, what would a rich girl know about working in a store to survive in a rich kids’ world? “That’s cool! Where do you work?” Seungwan can see where this is going. It’s so predictable. Seulgi’s attempt to keep a conversation with her is only making her feel forced to answer. 

“Just a small little store.” That’s all Seungwan wants to say. Suppose this is some plan to humiliate her for working in a low-income area just for Joohyun to laugh. She would rather keep her life a secret. “Well, I have to get going. I have to get home. See you around, Seulgi.” 

“Wait! I can give you a ride home, you know, if you’d like?” 

Seungwan feels herself internally scream at every attempt Seulgi makes. Why can’t she be left alone?! After all this time to get to know her, why now? Can’t Seungwan ever rest from constantly being reminded how lousy they were as friends, as human beings. Why try to be better now that the damage has been done? She bites her tongue from wanting to yell at the girl. To yell at rest, watching her as if she were a prey who was bound to be eaten alive. Seungwan looks over at Sooyoung, who has the same blank look on her face as Seulgi turns over to see where she is staring. 

“As nice as that would be. I prefer walking home.” Seungwan states as she bids farewell and walks out of the building. As the other girls finally come down to meet Seulgi. Sooyoung places a hand on Seulgi’s shoulder, sympathizing with the girl who looked hurt by Seungwan. Joohyun remained quiet with her arms crossed, not surprised that Seungwan would act like this. 

“What were you saying to her?” Yeri asked. 

“I only asked if she wanted a ride. She didn’t seem interested at all. I even gave her my number too.” Seulgi mumbled, holding back the urge to cry. 

“Are we shocked? I don’t know why you insist on trying to befriend Seungwan again. You are only setting yourself for disaster.” Joohyun chimed, keeping her unimpressed expression. 

“So, what’s the real reason that you’re here?” Sooyoung asked, causing the short girl to furrow her brows. Yet again, they were at each other’s throats. As if the last argument wasn’t enough, Sooyoung insists on knowing the reason behind Joohyun joining.

“Unlike you, I have to build up a good image for university applications. I’m trying to move on. What is your plan, Sooyoung?”

Sooyoung grits her teeth as she steps closer to Joohyun, only to be stopped by Yeri stepping between them. “Settle down, guys. I mean, aren’t you supposed to be getting along as a team?” Yeri tries to calm the situation as all girls quirk a brow at the mention of the team. 

“ _We_ made the team. Why are you here?” Sooyoung questioned, towering over the girl who seemed to be caught in the unwanted tension. 

“I-” Yeri tried to speak but was pulled back by Joohyun to argue with the girl. 

“What’s your problem? Has your obsession with Seungwan made you forget who your real friends are? Yeri is here to support us, not to mention her father is sponsoring our team. She has every right to be here!” 

Sooyoung sarcastically laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. “A real friend? Do you think you’re a real friend? Being in denial that we aren’t at fault isn’t being a true friend!” 

“I don’t know how hard Seungwan tackled you at tryouts, but last I remember, you were the one who was driving!” Joohyun yelled, immediately regretting her words as she saw the hurt in Sooyoung’s eyes. She should have just stayed quiet.

“Wow,” She whispers as tears begin to build up, “This is low, even for a person like you. I know what I did. I remember every single day of my life, and I’ll never stop regretting that day until the day I die. Fuck you, Joohyun.” 

Sooyoung wiped her tears, furiously stepping away from the group as Seulgi trailed behind the girl trying to call out her name. Yeri turns to look at Joohyun, who breathes in, forcing her tears back; otherwise, Joohyun doesn’t know what else she would do. 

“Joohyun-” 

“Don’t.” She interrupts, placing her hand over her eyes, trying to concentrate on putting a different expression before anyone else sees her. “All this baggage just for Seungwan? I don’t understand what makes her so special.” Joohyun sniffles and clears her throat with no tears in sight. Yeri sees Joohyun’s hatred building up. They were heading towards disaster. Seungwan can try to fool everyone else, but Joohyun didn’t decide anything based on her emotions. Joohyun has a plan, and she’ll do anything just to make things go back to normal. Joohyun would give everything just to see Seungwan crumble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates? Well, it must be a miracle! I shock myself too. Anywho, I, unfortunately, will be starting the fall semester soon and it will pretty much be the death of me considering I have no motivation anymore. Updates will probably still be slow again but I appreciate you all for sticking around! Feel free to comment on anything. Please be safe out there, and remember to wash your hands and wear a mask. And please! Don't go to large gatherings!!


	7. Coincidence? I think not.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungwan hates coincidences, but Joohyun loves them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I barely have any brain cells left. Sorry for any grammar mistakes or if I sound too dead to form a proper sentence! Enjoy!

Joohyun has a plan. It's effortless to understand. All she needs to do is befriend Seungwan to see if whatever she says is legit. Simple, right? Especially if someone who suffered from a critical injury can’t remember, right? Joohyun nearly gags at the girl's memory on the concrete, causing her to be disgusted with her food.

“Honey, are you ok?” Her mother asks before taking a sip from her glass as Joohyun nods her head. “So, how are things with the girls? I haven’t seen you guys go on a trip in a while.” 

“It’s our last year of school. We have to focus on applications.” Joohyun replies as she forces herself to take a bite of her food. 

“How about Sooyoung’s charity case from the party? Are they still friends?” Her mother asked, unaware of the bitter feeling building up. Joohyun doesn’t know how she should feel recalling that day. It’s bittersweet. It was sweet knowing that the guy she flirted with listened to her plan of spilling wine over Seungwan’s white clothing and seeing the sad expression on her face when Sooyoung was leading their speech. But there was a bitter part to it, mainly due to the events that occurred later on. 

“Charity case?” The head of the Bae family interrupted, swallowing his food with the finest drink from the cellar. “Sooyoung is friends with a commoner?” 

“Was.” Joohyun corrects her father. 

“Are you friends with her?” He asks, looking into his daughter’s eyes. 

“No, dad.” 

“Good. No daughter of mine will be friends with an animal.” He mumbled against his glass before taking one more drink. “Maybe if she and her mother worked hard enough, they wouldn’t be ‘poor.’ Honestly, all commoners do is whine about work but dare to call the rich selfish for working hard.” 

“Honey, don’t speak that way about people. You don’t know their situation.” 

Joohyun remained quiet as she chewed on her food, thinking of her father’s words. To catch Seungwan on the act, she has to bait her with expensive gifts, like Sooyoung did while keeping it a secret. But how was she supposed to gain Seungwan’s trust?

* * *

Within the following days of school, Joohyun kept a close eye on Seungwan. They have three practice days before the weekend comes, yet Joohyun hasn’t made a move the past two practices. Like any other predator who stalks their prey, they need a plan to blend in. Of course, the world favored a person like Joohyun as her coach announced the words she never expected to hear. 

“Considering our first game is two weeks away, I think announcing the team captains now would be perfect.” The coach announced as girls around them began to huddle as they whispered between each other. “Our first captain for the team will be...Son Seungwan!” 

Joohyun blinks a bit before turning to see Seungwan equally as shocked. “Me?” 

“Yes! Come over here so we can announce the co-captain.” Her coach excitedly held Seungwan’s shoulders as Seungwan smiled widely. “Next captain is-drum roll, please.” The students slapped their legs, matching the same rhythm until they stopped. “Bae Joohyun!” 

Joohyun stood still before she felt Seulgi suddenly slap her into reality. “Dude! You’re team captain!” She cheers for Joohyun as she pushes her towards Seungwan and her coach. 

“Well, that’s it for today, ladies. Time to hit the showers.” The older woman announces before turning to the two shorter girls. “You two come with me before you go.” 

Joohyun trailed behind Seungwan before walking into the office. “I’ll assume neither of you has ever been captains before, which is why I’m here to explain the positions.” 

“Positions? As in more than one?” Seungwan asked as the coach nodded. 

“I didn’t want to announce anything else besides you guys. But you two will be somewhat sharing a role meaning one is the main captain and the other is their second in command and must report to the other.” 

“Huh? Who am I then?” Seungwan asks.

“Co-Captain, but it’s nothing bad. It’s nothing to do with anything personal, but Joohyun is the only one with experience in school sports.” Joohyun remains quiet, though a part of her wants to laugh at the expression her ‘co-captain’ has. 

“I’m sorry if this sounds rude, but why did you choose us? Other girls have experienced too, so why us?” Joohyun adds. 

“Well, besides skill. I think both of you would work so well together, especially as co-captains. I can see the fire in your eyes when you guys practice. The team needs captains who know what they’re doing. Don’t you agree?” Perhaps she’s confused with hatred and malicious intent with passion because Joohyun loathes this sport. Nothing is appealing about dragging someone down and chasing around a ball like a pack of wild dogs. 

“I suppose I can agree with that. But what does that mean for us? How will we work?” Joohyun asked.

“Well, since you’re the main captain, you will be doing most of the work in keeping the team nice and neat. Normally it seems like a lot of work for one person, which is why I paired you with Seungwan. So for now and on, you two will have to work together in stretching, leading, reporting, and making sure the team doesn’t fall apart.” 

Joohyun nods as she looks over at Seungwan, who fakes a smile as she nods. Soon enough, both girls were dismissed as Seulgi is quick to bug Seungwan. Joohyun watches as Seungwan gives her short responses, wanting her space as she is heading to shower. 

“So team captain, huh?” Yeri asks, catching her older friend's attention. 

“What’re you doing here?” Joohyun asks, heading towards her locker to gather her things. 

“I rushed over when Seulgi texted the news. You must be promising if the coach picked you within the third day of practice.” 

Joohyun shuts her locker, placing her bag strap over her shoulder, looking into Yeri’s eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m complimenting you. Why are you acting so hostile? Did something happen?” Yeri whispers, taking a step closer to her friend. 

“No. I Just wanted you to elaborate on the compliment. That’s all.” Joohyun walks past her teammates, who congratulated her before she exits as Yeri trails behind. 

“So should we celebrate this new position?” Yeri asked, watching Joohyun step into her car, putting her window down to look at the young girl. 

“I’m too tired to go out today. How about we plan something over the weekend?” 

“Sure. I’ll reserve a place for us all-” 

“Oh, don’t forget to tell Seulgi to bring Seungwan. After all, we are co-captains. I figured we could celebrate together. I’m trying to be a good teammate and person in doing this for us all. As much as I get annoyed with Sooyoung bringing down the mood, invite her too.” 

Before Yeri could even speak her worries, Joohyun drove away, ending the conversation immediately. Once Joohyun was far away from the campus, she raised the radio volume to cover her laughter. Shaking her head in disbelief, she keeps a wide grin on her face as things continue to fall into place. 

* * *

While things were great for Joohyun, Seungwan wanted nothing more than to be swallowed by the earth. After her quick shower, she rushed herself to change quickly, avoiding Seulgi, who waited for her outside the locker room. 

“Hey, Seungwan. Do you want to celebrate-” 

“I don’t mean to be rude, Seulgi, but I had a hectic day today. Can we talk about this next time?” Seungwan begged, not wanting to explode from rage in front of the girl. 

“Of course. Sorry about that.” Seulgi shyly smiled at Seungwan, “Call me if you ever want to hang out and celebrate.” She says hesitantly. 

Seungwan knows she can’t expect everyone to read the room, considering she was once dead, and now her former friends are trying to act like it never happened. At least Seulgi is trying to redeem herself. What has Sooyoung done? Yeri and Joohyun? She despises them. 

“If I have time, I’ll call you this weekend. If that’s alright with you.” Seulgi’s face lights up as she tries to play it off. Now Seungwan can be alone with her thoughts as she walks home while her rage fills up, needing some relief. 

“Keep acting up, and Joohyun will notice,” Wendy says, causing Seungwan to turn her head to see her other self on the reflection of the window of a building nearby. 

“Shut up. I don’t want to hear it.” Seungwan mutters, looking at herself, unaware of the stares she’s getting. 

“You’re acting like a child. You’re only proving her right.” Wendy frowns as Seungwan furiously messes with her hair in frustration. 

“Shut up! You are only some bloodthirsty reflection. You have no saying. You aren’t even real!” Seungwan shouts, scaring the people who stopped to stare at her. 

“You’re making a scene. Just get on the bus and go home.” Wendy advises as Seungwan whips her head to see an older woman and her kid stare at her and her messy hair. Just on time, the bus Seungwan was waiting for comes around the corner. Fixing herself before walking away, she acts as if nothing happened. 

Just as she gets on the bus, she sees her reflection on the seat next to her. “Now that you’re done whining and causing a scene. I’ll talk, and you _will_ listen.” Seungwan rolls her eyes but accepts the conditions anyway. “Keep your cool, or we’ll be hunting for more prey. You’re wasting more energy than necessary, and animal blood won’t quench this thirst. Got it? Quit being a child, go home and drink your special juice, and release all your stress on something else that isn’t killing or harming someone.” 

“Since when did you care about these things?” Seungwan mumbled. 

“I am you, Seungwan. No matter how much you try to think I’m some illusion in your head, I will always be your other half looking out for you. Besides, what will mom think if her only daughter is caught on a murder spree? We have to be careful, or we might catch some unwanted attention.” 

Seungwan sighs, hiding her face in her hands. There are too many thoughts going through her head. To say the coach was unfair to her would be a lie. Joohyun would indeed be a better option of being the main captain, but somehow this feels like this only boosted the devilish ego Joohyun has. Trying to control her breathing, Seungwan forces herself to control her anger. Otherwise, this bus might never make it home. It isn’t long before she finally gets off and runs home only to meet her mother speaking to unknown guests. 

“Seungwan, come to say hi.” Her mother says, pulling the girl over in a hurry to the unknown pair in front of her. “This is my daughter, Seungwan.” The older woman introduces. Seungwan bows and smiles. “She knew him too.” Seungwan’s heart jumps at the mention. It isn’t possible, right? This isn’t Seungwan’s victim, is it? 

“So you knew your mother’s boyfriend too. Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?” One of the younger male detectives asked, standing next to Seungwan as she nods shyly. Upon entering Seungwan’s room, the detective scans around the room before turning to the young girl. 

“Do you mind telling me about the kind of relationship your mother had?” He asked. Seungwan doesn’t know how to answer this without making her mother a suspect. But would anyone think her small, frail mother could drag a body twice her weight? 

“They had an on and off relationship from what I saw. He wasn’t exactly the best guy towards her.” Seungwan had the urge to ask if they found his body or if this was just a missing person’s case. Either way, if she wanted to stay low, she had to play dumb. 

“Your mother mentioned that too. When was the last time you saw him?” 

“Nearly a month ago? I remember being sick in bed when I heard him storm off after an argument with my mom, and I haven’t seen him since then.” Luckily, this wasn’t a lie. Seungwan’s mother can vouch for her without a doubt. 

“What was the argument about?” 

“Honestly, who knows what he was doing. I know he had a habit of stealing money to gamble.” The detective nodded his head as he thanked Seungwan for her time. Soon enough, her mother’s guest left, causing her to turn to see her mother’s saddened state quickly. Seeing her mother cry over a pathetic man, who got what he deserved, made her so angry, but at least her mother doesn’t know the heartbreaking truth. 

“Mom, what’s wrong?” Seungwan holds her mother as the older woman's sobs become louder. “What happened to him? Why were they here?” 

“T-They found him.” She stutters. Seungwan kneels to meet her mother’s red, swollen eyes, carefully walking her mother to a nearby seat. “He’s dead, Seungwan.” 

Seungwan furrows her brows, pretending to act equally as shocked. She feels bad for lying to her mother, but it’s not easy to confess what she’s done or what has occurred to her since the summer events. “I’m sorry to hear that, mom.” The younger girl sympathizes with her mother, rubbing her thumb on her mother’s shoulder to calm the older woman. 

“It just doesn’t make sense. Why didn’t I see this coming?” 

“As sad as it is to say, he loved gambling your money away. Maybe someone didn’t let it slide-” 

“How can you say something so heartless, Seungwan?! He wasn’t the best person, but you could at least have more respect for the dead.” Her mother lashed out, shocking the girl. Seungwan pulls her hand away from her mother, feeling guilty for her words. She should have been more respectful of her mother’s feelings. 

“I-I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry if I offended you-” 

“Now is not the time to apologize. I need to be alone.” Her mother pleaded, refusing to look at Seungwan. Her heart sunk a bit, seeing her mother mourn for a man who got what he deserved. If this is her reaction now, her mother would practically abandon her in an instant, knowing she killed him without any issue. 

Seungwan holds back to tears until she reaches her room. Slowly shutting the door, her tears begin to overflow as she slides down her door. Everything hurts. This wasn’t just emotional pain, and it was a lie after lie piling itself on her. It hurts to be alive. It's as though Seungwan’s only companion is pain. There is so much that she wants to release inside her. It is a constant battle to remain sane. 

“Seungwan,” Wendy calls out, but she refuses to stop crying. “Seungwan, please look at me.” Wendy pleads, causing the girl to stand up to look into her mirror finally. Upon meeting her reflection, Seungwan sees the sympathetic look on her face. Again, she looks away, too embarrassed to even confront her reflection. “No, don’t look away. I’m not here to lecture you. Please, Seungwan.”

The petite girl hesitantly looked up to meet her horrible state. Eyes now red, runny nose spilling as she cleans it off with her sleeve as her uniform is now stained with drops of tears. But behind the girl, she can spot Wendy peering over her shoulder, watching her arms slowly wrap themselves over her. 

“Do you see what I see?” Wendy whispers gently with a soft smile staring into her eyes. Seungwan shakes her head. “I see a brave, smart young girl who did what was necessary.” 

“I killed my own mother’s boyfriend-” 

“You saved her from a toxic person who never spared a second glance. Suppose he is capable of stealing and emotionally hurting her. Don’t you think he would have eventually raised his hand against a helpless romantic?” 

“I saved her?” 

“Of course. Indeed, our way of handling it wasn’t the best, but you did what you had to do. Bloodthirst aside, you chased after him to expose him to your mother. You stood up to him before anything else.” Wendy reassures her, seeing Seungwan’s tears dry up. This was working well. “And you know what else?” 

“What?” Seungwan rasps. 

“Who cares if Joohyun is the team captain. You’ve handled being run over pretty well and new abilities while working a job. What spoiled brat can do all of that, am I right?” Wendy joked, causing Seungwan to chuckle at her attempt. “But Seungwan. I know I am just you but believe me when I say you are the bravest girl I could be with. Joohyun won’t be an issue, and if she ever is, she won’t know what’s coming to her.” Seungwan’s tears begin to flow again, but out of the comfort of her words. She knows well enough that she can’t feel Wendy’s arms embracing her. In reality, it's just Seungwan hugging herself, but having someone like Wendy made her feel safe. Seungwan and Wendy shared the same body, but they were opposites. She was everything Seungwan dreamed of being. 

“Mom didn’t mean her words. She’s mourning and just needs her time. For now, focus on yourself. Go out and celebrate with Seulgi. Nothing better than a rich girl spoiling you for free, right?” Wendy jokes, but oddly she had a point. “Enjoy your time, Seungwan. You can’t be 17 forever.” 

* * *

Later that day, Seungwan walked towards the closest public phone. Nervously staring at Seulgi’s number on the crumpled up piece of paper. Carefully dialing the number, she took a deep breath as it began to ring until the other line picked up. 

“Hello?” Seulgi answers cautiously, unaware of where the number was coming from. 

“Seulgi, it’s Seungwan.” The shorter girl introduces herself as Seulgi happily greets her on the line. “Hey, I’m sorry about earlier. I sort of had a rough day, and it was horrible of me to take it out on you.” 

“N-No, it’s alright. I figured it was my fault for coming off as too clingy with you. Sorry if I come off as too attached to you. I just see you around all the time, and I wanted to befriend you. But that sort of backfired and-” 

“I don’t mind it.” For once, Seungwan is honest. She misses having someone talk to her and genuinely has a connection with her. Maybe she could have that with Seulgi. After all, she was the only one who seemed to like her despite being too oblivious to her surroundings genuinely. 

“You don’t?” Seulgi sounds equally as shocked. If only Seungwan could see the expression on her face. 

“No, it’s nice to have someone interested in me. I feel like it's been a long time since I’ve had a friend. But that’s beside the point. About that offer to celebrate my new role in the team. Would you like to go celeb-” 

“Yes.” Seulgi interrupts. Seungwan laughs on the line, unaware of the butterflies in Seulgi’s stomach. This was the first time she’s heard her laugh in a long time. “Well, actually about that. Joohyun wants to celebrate too, and Yeri already reserved a place.” 

“Oh. I’m sorry I didn’t know you had other plans-” 

“No, not like that! I mean she wanted to invite you too. You know, considering you guys are captains. Would you like to join us?” 

“Just the four of us?” Seungwan pretends not to know, but a part of her is well aware that ‘us’ meant every one of her former friends. 

“Sooyoung hasn’t answered my text yet, so maybe she will too.” Seulgi rambled on. Seungwan bit her lip nervously as a part of her wanted to make up some excuse, but Wendy’s words kept going through her head. She wasn’t going to be 17 forever, and drama was inevitable. The least she can do is enjoy her life while she could. 

“I’ll go. Just tell me when and where.” Seungwan listened as Seulgi informed her of the time and location, typing it into her broken phone. This was odd for someone who can offer to buy her entire life. “Great, I’ll see you there.” 

Once Seungwan hung up, she shook off the nervous jitters. Everything was going to be ok. Or at least that's what she will tell herself. 


	8. Oblivion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joohyun thinks she's ahead of the game, but Wendy isn't as frail as Seungwan.

The moment Seulgi ended her call with Seungwan, she couldn’t help but jump around her room. Surely, Sooyoung needed to know immediately, but a few things caused her to stop and think. What if Joohyun and Sooyoung begin to argue over Seungwan? What if something they say triggers something in her mind that makes her remember? Seulgi shook her head, swaying her hand back and force, pretending to burst her worried thoughts. Sooyoung will be pleased to know they have a chance to be with Seungwan. This will be the best day of their lives. 

Seulgi scrolls through her contacts, pressing on Sooyoung’s number. She bites the tip of her thumb, nervously waiting for her friend to pick up. 

“Hello?” Sooyoung answers. 

“You won’t believe what I just did.” Seulgi shifts her normal tone to somehow cocky. 

“Did you finally get revenge on Yeri? Seulgi, I’m sorry, but I’m not entirely in the mood to talk about pranks-” 

“Huh? I forget about that, but that’s not what I called you for,” Seulgi normally speaks as she roams around her room. “I wanted to tell you about an upcoming opportunity.” 

“What is it?” Sooyoung responded quickly, becoming more attentive to her friend’s words. 

“The girls and I want to celebrate the new captains, and Joohyun suggested Seungwan should come. You know, since they’re the new co-captains. I thought this would be a reason to go.” 

“Joohyun suggested this?” Sooyoung asks, not able to comprehend her friend’s sudden decision. “How did you manage to convince Seungwan to come? I thought she ditched your number.” 

Seulgi stopped at the mention, remembering the previous awkward attempt to get Seungwan to talk to her. “Yeah, I honestly thought so too, but she invited me to go out with her first. Shocking, isn’t it?” Sooyoung is quiet on the line for a bit. She tries her best not to feel hurt and to say she is sort of jealous of this. “It was kind of wild. I mean, she said she wanted to be friends, and I heard her laugh for the first time in forever. It felt normal for once. I missed it.” 

“That’s quite suspicious to say. Don’t tell me you’ve had a crush on Seungwan this whole time?” Sooyoung asks, genuinely curious about where this was coming from. Seulgi has never mentioned anything about crushes before the accident. 

“N-No! Don’t say weird things, Sooyoung. I mean, it felt nice to hear her sound cheerful. But that’s beside the point!” Seulgi rambles, “Are you coming? Will you be ok if you do?” 

“I’m not going to die at the sight of her, Seul. I’ve seen her around school and practice. I can handle a simple dinner plan.” Sooyoung confidently spoke, but a part of her didn’t even buy the lie. 

“I only ask because of the last two incidents. Any time Seungwan does the slightest thing, you guys start to argue. I’m just worried about you.” Sooyoung sighed, knowing where the worried thoughts came from, but she promised Johnny to get closer to Seungwan. 

“I’ll be fine. Just text me the details, and I’ll be there.” 

* * *

Sooyoung lays on her bed, wondering what life will do with her. Considering she ran over Seungwan, Sooyoung still has the upper hand if Seungwan were to accuse her of a hit and run. Truth be told, Sooyoung can’t imagine a clear picture of her future if she doesn’t help Seungwan. Then again, if Johnny never popped up, Sooyoung thinks her life would have never been the same. Maybe desperate enough to use other things to make her forget the night that constantly replays in her head. Her mind is a broken recorder stuck on repeat. 

Turning on her phone, Sooyoung clicks on her old conversations with Seungwan. Whenever she feels like reminiscing, she reads their very first text to their very last. Sooyoung doesn’t know why she does this to herself if all it does is cause more suffering. Her right arm suddenly becomes tense, feeling the pain spread through her. Breakdowns have been a common recurrence in her life. She remembers the first one she had the morning after the incident. After all the girls had gone home, and Sooyoung laid on her bed uncontrollably sobbing. Just when she thought she was fine, Sooyoung would head over to her bathroom to fix herself, but something about the sight of her face caused so much rage. Grabbing any solid object, Sooyoung threw it into her mirror, shielding her eyes from the flying shards. Before her workers could barge through the door, Sooyoung walked away from her mess, cleaning up her tears. Someone soon came to ask what happened, and Sooyoung would have no excuse but to say,’ _It was an accident. Can you please not tell my parents? I’ll buy a new mirror myself, but please don’t tell them.’_

Sooyoung pushes the memory to the back of her head. Her past self from the summer wouldn’t ever believe the present Sooyoung. But at the very least, she has something to help redeem herself.

* * *

It was an hour before the dinner party, and Joohyun couldn’t help but continuously look at herself in her mirror. Not to toot her own horn, but Joohyun still looked like a rich girl being humble even in semi-casual clothing. Of course, not that she wasn’t already. This was to help Seungwan feel comfortable and trust her more. This was almost way too easy. Either Seungwan is great at playing dumb, or maybe there isn’t anything to worry about. If she did forget, Sooyoung would have no option but to move on and go back to the way things were. She won’t ever admit it, but a part of her misses going on trips with her friends before Seungwan came around. Oh, how times were simpler without a leech in their group. Just the memory of the girl pretending to be humble while Sooyoung chased her around with gifts made her gag. Her father had a point. If she were as humble and as hard-working as she said, why would they leech off of someone’s success? All ‘poor’ people ever did was say a sob story so someone wealthy could take them in. 

Joohyun shakes her thoughts away as she receives a text from Yeri confirming her location. Hopefully, this wasn’t too out of Seungwan’s league. After all, this was her moment to gain trust and to help her fall back quicker. Joohyun shakes her head as she takes one last glance at herself. Soon enough, Joohyun grabs her keys and heads off to her destination. It was a bit too early, but she was certain that the whole establishment would fall into her command once they knew who she was. 

Once Joohyun arrives at the area, she carefully pulls her car into the front, handing over her keys to the employee to park her car. Upon entering the restaurant, she sees Yeri arguing with the waiters as Seulgi and Sooyoung watch her. A small smile appears on her face, it feels like old times whenever they would make last-minute dinner plans, except now their group is falling apart, but that won’t be an issue once everyone learns the truth that Joohyun tells herself. Seungwan is a fraud. Joohyun isn’t sure how she will manage to pull it off, but the truth will come out one way or another. As the front desk employee sees Joohyun waiting, they quickly escort her over to their booth with so much care, afraid of any wrong move. 

“Yeri quit arguing with the staff already,” Joohyun commented, catching her friend’s attention. 

“You’re here early? Wow. Aren’t you the one who’s always fashionably late? There’s still 20 minutes left,” Said Yeri. 

“Well, I’m full of surprises.” Joohyun takes her seat, asking for a drink from the now terrified worker who was mortified over Yeri’s passive-aggressive suggestions about setting the table properly. “So any news on Seungwan? Did you text her the right address?” 

“Well, we spoke over the phone yesterday. I can only hope she heard me correctly,” Seulgi nervously speaks, afraid of accidentally sending the girl somewhere else. 

Joohyun furrows her brows at the mention as all girls turn to look at her, “You didn’t call her back to confirm?” 

“I tried to! It just turns out that the phone she called me from was a payphone.” 

“Huh, talk about being the mistress of mystery.” Yeri jokes, causing Seulgi to hit her under the table. “Ow! I mean, come on, guys. It was just a joke.” 

Joohyun glanced over to Sooyoung, who remained so concentrated on her glass of water. She didn’t expect the young girl to be ok with sitting next to her. Truthfully, it shocks Joohyun though she knows Sooyoung is only here for Seungwan. Letting the girls bicker, Joohyun loses herself in her thoughts before one of the employees interrupts the group. 

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but there is a girl who says she’s here for your reservation. Is she with you?” The older employee asks as all the girls peer over to see Seungwan look around the building decor. 

“Did she say a name for the reservation?” Joohyun asks. 

“Yes, but-” 

“Then it should be obvious that she’s here with us.” Joohyun corrected, rolling her eyes as she stood up to get Seungwan. Unaware of Joohyun’s presence, she calls out the girl’s name. “Seungwan, come this way.” She says, leading them back to their table. Joohyun stops before Seungwan, pointing to the open space next to Sooyoung. 

Seungwan hesitates a bit, but it went unnoticed. They’d just think she is shy, but she knows Sooyoung doubts it. She internally regrets saying anything to the girl, but she is surprised they haven’t questioned her existence. “Thanks for inviting me,” Seungwan adds, looking over at Joohyun, who smiles a bit before handing her a menu. 

“Anything for my co-captain,” She chimes, unaware of the awkward attention on both girls. 

Seungwan gulps as she looks through the menu. The prices are higher than she thought they’d be. It's not like she can't afford to pay it. It was just something she wasn't ever used to or nothing she'd casually eat. The girls peak above their menu to watch Seungwan concentrate on the list of options. How could Yeri forget Seungwan isn't used to this life, it was an honest mistake, but this can be a major setback if she regains any memory. 

“Gosh, there’s so much.” Seungwan chuckled, pushing down her menu in hopes someone would save her from embarrassment. “What do you guys recommend?” She asks. As soon as Seulgi opens her mouth, Joohyun interrupts to grab Seungwan’s menu from her hands, pointing at the chef’s special. 

“Chef’s special never disappoints. Usually, the head chef creates something new, and they’ve never failed me.” Joohyun says, turning her head to look into Seungwan’s beady eyes. 

“Then the chef's special it is,” Seungwan closes the menu, grabbing her glass of water to drink away her awkwardness as Yeri calls over the waiter to order. As if Yeri somehow knew, she remembered everyone’s order, saving her from any second-hand embarrassment. Seungwan knew it wasn’t going to be the same, but having Joohyun act this way was new. Even when she faked her kindness with the others, Joohyun wasn’t like this. Nonetheless, Seungwan takes a look around the building, noticing every expensive piece that puts her in such an uncomfortable spot. Just being in a rich area makes her feel like an imposter. Maybe she shouldn’t have come here. As her eyes looked around the area, she couldn’t help but have a curious need to see her former friend’s face. They see each other every day at school and practice, but Sooyoung rarely faces her, but somehow today seemed different. 

Meeting Sooyoung’s soft eyes, Seungwan is taken back to the days where she could stand to be with her, to the days where Sooyoung would hold Seungwan closely, expressing how much she adores hugging the smaller girl. Seungwan takes notes of her tired eyes despite the effort to cover them up. Sooyoung smiles at Seungwan, who is taken back by the sudden action. Her heart feels heavy again, like it’s going to make her blurt out everything she wanted to say. How could Seungwan go on with her lie about not remembering when she screwed up greeting Sooyoung on the first day. 

Her worried thoughts somehow don’t seem to affect Sooyoung. Her small, welcoming smile is still there, and somehow Seungwan can help but stare back and lift her lips into a familiar smile she once shared. 

“I’m sorry,” Seungwan blurts, covering her mouth soon after as she watches Sooyoung tilt her head and furrowed her brows. 

“Sorry for what?” Sooyoung asks.

There are too many thoughts going through her mind. Too many things she partially feels bad for. ‘Sorry for hurting your feelings though you had no idea about your best friend bullying me?’ No, not that, though definitely something worth giving a thought. How about, ‘Sorry for possibly causing you trauma?’ No, no. Seungwan is the real victim here, and there’s nothing she needs to be sorry for. 

Sooyoung takes notice of Seungwan’s sudden silence, “Is this about what happened at practice? I admit you have a lot of strength for a short girl.” The taller girl jokes, “If we’re talking about you tackling me, it’s alright. That is the whole point of the game.” 

Seungwan blinks, feeling her cheeks burn. “Right. I just figured I should have apologized anyway. You seemed sort of dazed, so I thought it was my fault.” 

“All is well,” Sooyoung smiles, trying to contain herself from wanting to burst into tears, holding back the urge to tell Seungwan that she is safe and that her secret is safe with her even if she did murder someone. “You’re very talented,” she compliments. 

Unaware of the others, Joohyun watches as Sooyoung practically gushes over Seungwan’s faux kindness. Joohyun swears that if Seungwan could murder someone, Sooyoung would pamper her anyway despite being guilty. Little does she know, it is exactly what Sooyoung is doing. It annoys her. It makes her blood boil to see things still turn out to be the same even if she did lose her memories or if she’s lying—only one way of figuring it out. Right as Joohyun turns her head, she spots the worker coming over with their orders, carefully placing them on the table. She watches Seungwan stare down at her plate in awe, awkwardly grabbing her utensils incorrectly. It bugs Joohyun, but what can she expect from a girl who lives off of a scholarship. 

“Let me cut it for you,” Joohyun says as Seungwan agrees, handing over the knife and fork. Seungwan carefully watches Joohyun’s delicate cuts on her juicy steak, noticing the juice oozes out of it. As much as Seungwan likes normal food, she was only in awe because of how oddly it resembled her first bite. Rest in peace, the asshole of a boyfriend he was to her mom, but a part of her will always be grateful for the taste. Finally, Joohyun was done cutting her meat, expecting her to hand over the utensils back, but it is the opposite. Watching Joohyun stab into one of the pieces, she carefully moves the piece to Seungwan’s mouth. 

Everyone watches, uncertain of Joohyun's intentions. Seulgi and Sooyoung don't know what to think. What happened to forget everything about her? Yeri, on the other hand, dreads the way Joohyun plays with Seungwan. It's bad enough knowing she bullied Seungwan because she was a 'leech.' Yeri can only hope she might have changed for the greater good, but something tells her otherwise. 

"How is it?" Joohyun sets the fork down, grabbing the napkin, cleaning the corner of Seungwan's mouth. Joohyun knows what she was doing. The girl is fully aware of how wild this might drive Sooyoung, but it's all part of the plan. Fake it till you make it. 

"G-Great," The young girl stutters, trying to hide how uncomfortable she felt. She knows she shouldn't be afraid of Joohyun, but her skin still crawls at the touch. No matter how much Seungwan denies it, she's still afraid of Joohyun. A part of her wants nothing more than to push her away and run. 

Joohyun watches Seungwan closely, noticing the slight hints of stiffness. Just one more push wouldn't hurt, right? Placing her hand over Seungwan, she watches her flinch slightly. "I'm so glad we get to be captains together, Seungwan. I hope we can get along and lead the team well." 

"As do I," Seungwan mutters nervously, pulling her hand from Joohyun. Though everyone has different intentions with Seungwan, they can't help but feel horrible putting the poor girl into an awkward situation. Whether she remembers or not, it doesn't feel right. 

"How about you try my food?" Seulgi suddenly speaks up, catching her friend's attention. 

"Me?" Seungwan asks. 

"Yeah! I don't mind sharing with a friend." Seulgi shyly smiles, carefully stabbing through her food to feed Seungwan. The girls carefully watch as if Seungwan would break any moment. 

"It's delicious," she mumbles, covering her mouth with her napkin. Seulgi smiles in response, eyes shining at anything Seungwan says or does. Joohyun takes notice of it, too, making her more annoyed with the entire situation. At least, Yeri wasn't gushing over Seungwan. 

After a few more awkward minutes of chatter, the girls had finished up. The group's tension was still awkward, but somehow being in this didn't seem too bad. Upon waiting for their check, Joohyun opens her wallet, purposely showing the shining cards that her beloved father lends her. 

“Time to see who pays for dinner,” She says, looking at her friends who look equally confused. 

“N-Now?” Seulgi asks, feeling the tension rise as she quickly glances at Seungwan, who looks equally confused. 

“Sorry, I forgot to mention our tradition,” Joohyun turns to meet the poor girl, “We let the waiter decide who pays for dinner, sort of like Russian roulette.” 

Seungwan nervously chuckles, “I see. Well, it’s a good thing I brought my wallet with me.” She tries not to shake as she feels Joohyun’s devilish eyes watch her struggle to get her card from a tight pocket. As the rest of the girls watch, Yeri and Seulgi are quick to pull out their cards. Sooyoung watches the interaction, sensing unnecessary tension between Joohyun and Seungwan. 

“Ready to pay, ladies?” The waiter asks, catching everyone’s attention as Joohyun smiles and sets the cards to face down on the table for the waiter to pick. It didn’t take a genius to guess which card belongs to who. Seungwan’s card was grey, slightly bent, with small scratches and a small scribble of her signature. The waiter covers their eyes as the other hand hovers above the cards until it finally lands on one. Watching in anticipation, the group watches the old, grey card slowly pick up before Joohyun interrupts. 

“Seungwan, usually what we do is if we can’t pay at the moment is we can let someone else pay in our place. Do you wish to pick someone to help you?” Joohyun is aware of the situation, and she knows exactly what she is trying to provoke. She’s certain Seungwan will recall those precious memories that she and Seungwan shared. 

“I’ll pay,” Yeri and Seulgi interrupt as they both look at each other. 

“No, it’s fine, Seul. I got this, and I made the reservations.” Yeri argued, handing her card over to the waiter. 

“No, I insist. I invited Seungwant to come. It’s unfair to let her pay.” Seulgi insists, unaware of her own words against Joohyun. Seungwan watches the two argue, feeling her cheeks warm up from the embarrassment. A part of her saw this coming. She has had a backup plan for this incident, even if it cost her most of her paycheck. 

“Guys, it’s ok. I can pay for us.” Seungwan reassured the girls, who still look uncertain about the decision. The girl nods to the waiter to proceed with the payment, only to be stopped by Joohyun again. 

“You are all so adorable.” She laughs, handing her card to the waiter to pay. “I was just kidding, you know? I invited you all to eat, and it’d be stupid and selfish of me to make my guests pay.” Joohyun takes a sip of her glass before looking over at Sooyoung, who glares at her. Joohyun wraps her arms around Seungwan, making sure Sooyoung gets a clear view of their interaction. 

“I hope I didn’t take my joke too far. I just like to joke around with people I feel comfortable around.” Joohyun giggles, keeping Seungwan close to her. “I hope we get along as co-captains and perhaps as future best friends. Right, girls?” 

“Right,” Seulgi agrees as she smiles at Seungwan. 

“I’m not part of the team, but consider me as the sports team manager,” Yeri adds. 

“Considering you already tackled me on the ground, I don’t think we need much of an introduction. You can always count on me,” Sooyoung finally speaks up, carefully placing her hand over Seungwan. “I hope we can get along, Seungwan.” There it was. The same line she used on Sooyoung the first day they met again. 

As soon as the girls parted, Joohyun waited for everyone to leave to speak to Seungwan. Eyeing Seungwan’s nervous body language, Joohyun wonders how she was able to trick everyone. How do you manage to get run over but act normal? Her rancor may blind Joohyun, but she can’t ignore the evidence. 

“Do you want a ride home?” Joohyun asked, coming closer to Seungwan, who seems to get smaller the closer Joohyun comes. Noticing Seungwan shiver as the cool breeze comes and goes. Joohyun tugs on her coat, putting it over the shorter girl’s shoulders. “I can’t have you missing practice already, co-captain.” 

“T-Thanks. You don’t have to-” 

“It’s no problem. Anything for my co-captain,” Joohyun whispers, smiling at Seungwan. This was something Sooyoung did with Seungwan. Maybe all she needs to do is act like Sooyoung to get the girl to reveal her true self. “So about that ride.” 

“R-Right. I appreciate it, but I don’t mind walking home-” 

“Please, I insist. I don’t want to drive home and worry about all the possible dangers out there. You never know if some maniac is driving and-” Joohyun interrupts herself, aware of the words she says but acting as though she never meant to say them. “I-I I didn’t mean-” Seungwan giggles, causing Joohyun to frown as she covers her face. Was Seungwan not offended by her words?

“It’s alright, Joohyun.” She states before raising her face to look deep into Joohyun’s eyes. Seungwan’s smile turns into a smirk with a certain look in her eyes. It’s almost as if she were laughing at Joohyun, pitying her. “Well, I cannot reject such a kind offer. Would you be a dear and open the door for me?” 

Joohyun doesn’t understand this sudden overwhelming feeling, as though she'd do anything for Seungwan. Joohyun nods, walking over to her car, opening the door for Seungwan. Once she’s inside, the older girl rushes into the car, feeling oddly so intimidated by such a small, careless girl. Something about this feeling doesn’t sit well with Joohyun, but maybe Seungwan was playing along with her game too. 

“Where do I drop you off, Seungwan?” Joohyun asks, looking over at Seungwan, who already seems to be looking at her. Feeling as if she were frozen in place, she remains focused on Seungwan’s lips, whispering words she doesn’t understand. Joohyun shakes off the feeling, touching the screen on her car to put the desired location. 

As the two remain in silence, Joohyun can’t help but peek over to her passenger seat. Seungwan does nothing but focuses on the street lights. Their silence is interrupted by the sudden question, “How did you know it was a car accident? I never specifically said it was a car accident before.” 

Joohyun’s heart suddenly drops. She was usually very observant and careful with her words. Why didn’t she think about it? Joohyun nervously gulps, gripping her steering wheel. “Well, I heard from others that it was a car accident. I assume it was true. I apologize if I offended you.” 

Seungwan remains quiet, staring off into the distance until they come to a stoplight. “Odd of you to be so nervous around me. Is it because you’re lying to me?” She mumbles, but somehow Joohyun can hear it so clearly. 

“What did you say, Seungwan?” Joohyun furrows her brows, looking partially offended as Seungwan puts on a worried expression on her face. 

“I said it was weird for you to seem nervous around me. You’re usually always so calm. Do you feel alright?” She asks, placing her hand on Joohyun’s forehead as she pulls her hand away to feel the sudden sweat on her fingers. “Your sweat is cold. Are you sure you feel alright?” 

Joohyun’s breath started to become shallow as she continues to stare into Seungwan’s slender fingers. She closely inspects this was feeling. Her body feels paralyzed by fear, her breaths are nothing, and this cold sweat doesn’t seem to stop. Joohyun wipes her forehead with her sleeve as the stoplight finally turns green. Joohyun eyes the estimated minutes, praying for this moment to end. It was embarrassing enough to look vulnerable in front of Seungwan, but feel fear towards her was insane. As time ticked, Seungwan finally spoke up, pointing at a nearby curb to drop her off. Normally, Joohyun would insist on taking her home just to catch a glimpse of the dump of a neighborhood she lived in, but somehow she was too nervous about driving any farther. Carefully she observes the young girl’s moments before Seungwan peeks back into the car. 

“I appreciate the ride, Joohyun. But when we’re together, I prefer you called me Wendy. That way, it seems easier than to use our first names.” Wendy smiles sweetly, but Joohyun isn’t buying it. Whatever Seungwan was, it didn’t feel human. Or maybe she was, but she was playing Joohyun for everything she did. 

“Drive safely. You never know if some maniac is out on the road.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Yes, I am continuing the story despite finals sucking the soul out of me. Sorry for the late update, especially if the story seems slow. I swear it'll build up once I get things in order. Anywho enjoy this edgy chapter B) especially manipulative Wendy. Comment whatever you want, anything is welcomed :D


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